The Sage's Journey
by Padriec ec Crannhyr
Summary: When battling Kaguya, Naruto is forced to take drastic action and sacrifice himself to save the world. Read more to find out how this Sage will live with himself, after losing everything and everyone! Note that the pairing will not be a harem, slash, yaoi, nor will this fanfiction contain any genderbends! I update infrequently, and this is my first fanfic. Contains mixed characters
1. Prologue

**Prologue: The Fox and the Rabbit**

Flashes of light, clashes of steel, a spark here, an explosion there.

A golden flame flitting about a purple giant, with a lone woman in white floating above them both. Below rest three mortals, two men and a girl. They watch as the future of their world is decided by the embodiment of light and love, Naruto Uzumaki, and his brother in all but name, Sasuke Uchiha, the paragon of hatred and darkness. Together, the Light and Dark battle out the future of the world with Kaguya Otsutsuki, the Grandmother of their predecessors. Kaguya had returned to life through a convoluted plan concocted by the feeble creature called Black Zetsu (although that was not his real name), which had enslaved the world.

The battle was going poorly.

Though Naruto and Sasuke possessed battle instincts honed through years of combat, and had developed techniques considered beyond the average Shinobi, the fact was that they didn't come close to the power held by Kaguya. She'd become the Jinchuriki of Madara Uchiha, who was the Jinchuriki of the Ten Tails, the conglomerate of all nine Tailed Beasts. She also bore the Byakugan, an eye that was capable of seeing all around the wielder, even Chakra. On top of these ridiculous powers, she also wielded a strange eye which emerged from her forehead that resembled the eye of the Ten Tails; it most likely signified her connection to the Ten Tails, but Naruto and Sasuke couldn't be sure it didn't bestow other powers beyond simply those of the Ten Tails.

All these powers in a single foe made the battle untenable, and it was beginning to show. With a blast of blue Chakra, the giant Susano'o enveloping Sasuke was shattered, sending him crashing to the ground. Glancing behind himself, Naruto flies down to the ground, releasing his Kurama Avatar to protect everyone.

"Sakura, how's Sasuke?!" He demands, keeping his eyes on Kaguya as Kurama fights for him.

"Not good… He's lost almost all of his Chakra, and he's overused his Mangekyou Sharingan." She replies solemnly. "I'm honestly surprised he's not blind; from what Kakashi-Sensei told me, he was going blind during our last encounter with him."

Obito quickly interjects, "It's because Sasuke no longer bears his own eyes" he rasps out, completely exhausted from wrenching open Time-Space after Time-Space. "Sasuke now wields the eyes of Itachi Uchiha, which gives him the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan; much like what Madara wielded in the time of the First Hokage."

"I don't really get it, but we don't have time to worry about that! Sasuke, when will you be ready to fight? I can't keep fighting her forever like this!" Naruto cries, as another of Kaguya's blasts hit Kurama, creating buffeting winds and immense force.

"I… don't know if I'll be up for a while. I've got nothing left." He groans, covering his left eye with his hand.

"Well, at this rate we're gonna lose Sasuke, so you better get your ass off the ground and start helping!" Naruto yells.

"Weren't you listening to me loser? I'm out of chakra, it'll be days before I recover! I just can't do any more! We should retreat into Obito's Time-Space, and recover there. Then we can come back, and try again!" Sasuke snarled.

"We can't do that." Obito gasps out. "If I can penetrate Kaguya's Time-Space, then she could definitely enter my own. Besides, I don't have enough Chakra to pull us all there."

Kakashi frowned. "Sasuke, could you give Naruto whatever it is you need to have so he can seal her alone? In your present condition, you're more of a hindrance than a boon."

Sasuke glared at Kakashi, hatred clear in his eyes. "I can't give away this power! It's mine, gifted to me by the Sage of the Six Paths! It is the right of the Uchiha to bear this power, I won't forsake the memories of all the fallen Uchiha for anything!"

Obito glanced up, his coal black eyes tired. "But Kakashi raises a good point. Naruto, Black Zetsu called this the 'Root Dimension', and told Kaguya she could absorb chakra from the Shinobi trapped in her Infinite Tsukuyomi here. Could you do the same, and boost your Sage Power?"

"I could," Naruto replies as the Kurama Avatar is shaken by a buffet of Chakra. "But I won't. That would kill maybe thousands of people, all for a move that might not work. Even if I do, Kaguya will just absorb more Chakra from them to ensure that what I take won't be a threat, killing even more people."

Sasuke looks up, his Sharingan deactivated and his Rinnegan closed to the world. "Naruto, it doesn't matter how many people die. This is a fight to protect the world, and a couple thousand people are not worth losing the whole world over!"

"I don't care! I won't risk the lives of everyone back home to defeat this enemy!"

Obito quickly interjects before the fight between them can get worse. "Not to raise concerns, but Naruto, you should be paying attention to the fight."

Naruto spins around, his Chakra Cloak flapping, and sees that Kurama's Avatar has lost an arm, and both of it's legs. With a roar, he channels chakra into a giant spinning orb, with smaller orbs orbiting it.

"Planetary Rasengan!" He roars, a chakra arm emerging from his chest and smashing it into Kaguya.

"You got her!" Sakura cheers, seeing the veritable goddess being propelled away from them at breakneck speeds.

"That should by us a couple seconds." Kakashi notes, pleased with the results of his student's attack.

"Naruto!" Obito wheezes, "Give Kakashi some Chakra…"

"What? Obito, Naruto needs all the Chakra he can get right now! I'll be a waste on his reserves!" Kakashi reprimands.

"Because… I have… an idea." Obito gasps. "Kakashi, what… are the weaknesses… of the Byakugan?"

Kakashi thinks for a moment. "There's a blind spot behind each wielder's head, and…" He trails off, seeing Obito's plan.

"Exactly. The Byakugan…" Obito breaks down into a coughing fit, but quickly recovers. "The Byakugan cannot see through Chakra. It sees too well. When confronted with either a Chakra Flare, or a Chakra Cloud, the Byakugan can be temporarily blinded. Kakashi, you know over a thousand jutsu. If you don't have a Chakra Cloud or Flare in your arsenal, I'd think you wasted my gift." Obito hacks out a laugh, but soon coughs harshly.

Naruto turns and looks at Kakashi. "I didn't understand much of what Obito said, but it sounds like you have an idea Kakashi-Sensei. Here." He reaches out his hand and touches Kakashi's arm. "Take this Chakra, Kakashi-Sensei."

Kakashi reels back as the Chakra enters his system, filling it to the brim. With a relieved sigh, he looks up.

"I'm ready." He intoned, before beginning the hand seals.

"Wait!" Obito whispers, his voice a mere croak. "You… need to wait… for Kaguya to return. She'll… not enter… the cloud…" He breaks off, wheezing and out of energy, before collapsing.

"Obito!" Naruto cries, before reaching out to him.

"Naruto! Don't waste your Chakra on him." Sakura reprimands Naruto, before looking down on Obito. "He doesn't deserve it. Wait until after the battle, then you can heal him if he's still alive."

Sasuke agrees with Sakura: "Don't do it loser, just leave him. He's a waste of your Chakra, which we all need right now."

Before Naruto can respond, the Kurama Avatar is smashed down from the sky. Above them stands an absolutely massive Chakra construct; it bore horns, long hair reaching it's waist, and a white chakra robe with ten swirling tails emerging from it's backside, each hundreds of meters long. The group gawks up at it, and Kakashi's hands fall to his sides.

"My… jutsu won't be effective on something that huge." He declares calmly. Naruto and Sasuke look up in fright, and Sakura, upon seeing something so much larger than the Ten Tails, faints.

Naruto looks down at Sakura and Obito, both of whom are unconscious.

"**Naruto, we have an idea."** says Kurama.

'What is it?' Naruto replies mentally, still in shock at the sight of Kaguya's Tailed Beast Transformation.

"**You have no hope of defeating Kaguya right now. She's undergone Tailed Beast Transformation; however, like when we first joined this way, Kaguya will not be able to hold this form for more than four minutes."**

'I get it! So all we need to do is hold out for that long, and attack when she's weakened!'

"**You idiot! We won't survive a single minute, much less four! Her power is much greater than ours; should she try, she could vaporize this entire Time-Space!"**

'So… what should we do, Kurama?'

"**Do what the Uchiha brat suggested; use that Uchiha's Kamui, and hide there."**

'But he said that Kaguya could follow us there!'

"**She might. However, it would take her a few minutes to find the correct Time-Space, and even then, she'd need to amass a vast amount of Chakra to enter the Uchiha's Time-Space; far more than he had to to enter hers."**

'OK Kurama! Let's wake up Obito!' Naruto exclaims in his mind. He reaches down to Obito, and then stops. 'Kurama, we don't know how much Chakra it would take to transport us all to his dimension!'

"**By the Sage brat! Just give him enough to wake him! Then ask him yourself!"** Naruto nods, and reaches down to Obito's chest, transferring Chakra into his body.

Obito woke with a start, with about a quarter of his chakra returned to him. Looking up, he sees Naruto kneeling above him, a hand on his chest. "Naruto, what are you doing? Go… fight Kaguya." He says, startled to find that it isn't hard to talk anymore.

"Obito, we need to hide in your Time-Space. Kaguya just got an insane power up, and we need to wait it out!" Naruto yelps, as the Kurama Avatar flies around the now completely visible Ten Tails Madara Avatar that Kaguya is enwreathed within.

"I… don't have enough Chakra to take the whole body of the Nine Tails. You'd need to drop your Transformation for a couple seconds for me to do so."

"I can give you more Chakra! Then we don't need to drop our defense!" Naruto responds.

"Naruto, my body can't contain that much Chakra without a vessel, I'd overload and explode. That's why we sealed the Tailed Beasts into the Gedo Statue first; human bodies can't contain that much Chakra, unless it's their own."

"We have no choice Obito! We're all gonna die unless we do something! At least take Sakura, Kakashi-Sensei and Sasuke with you, that way I can fight Kaguya with no holds barred!"

Obito was stunned, but unfortunately knew that this wouldn't work. "Naruto, we can't leave you here. You'll die, and then we'll have no hope of sealing Kaguya. There's… only one thing we can do."

Sasuke shifted around, watching the exchange with interest. "What do you suggest?"

Obito lowers his eyes to the ground. "I can give you my eyes, Naruto. With your vast Chakra, you'd be able to use the Kamui to take everyone with you to my Time-Space."

Naruto was shocked. "Obito, I can't take your eyes! For one, that's gross, and secondly, they're yours!"

Obito laughs sharply. "My left eye has spent more time outside of my skull than in it; I'm sure I can live without my right as well."

Naruto looks him dead in the eye. "Alright. But you are taking them back once we get into your Time-Space. Deal?"

Obito looks at the boy willing to give up the Sharingan, and thinks to himself 'Maybe, just maybe, it would be better for people who never want to Sharingan to receive it… just like Itachi.'

He shakes himself a bit. "Very well. Once we get to the Time-Space, I'll take it back from you."

Naruto smiles grimly. "You better."

Kakashi looks down at Sakura, "We'll need to wake Sakura for this. She'll perform the transplant."

Obito immediately shakes his head. "We don't have time. Trust me, she's not good a dealing with eyes." He remembers back when he asked her to stab out Madara's Rinnegan, and she spent a ridiculous amount of time just shaking. He shudders. "No, with Naruto's healing factor, and the DNA of the First Hokage within me, we'll both be fine without a medic this time. We can't risk anymore delays!" His statement is compunctuated when the Ten Tails Transformation strikes Naruto's Kurama Avatar with one of it's tails, sending them flying through the air.

Obito reaches to his face, and after bracing himself, pulls out his left eye. Without so much as a grunt, he hands it to Kakashi. "Hold that Kakashi."

Kakashi looks revolted.

Naruto reaches to his eyes, and pulls one out; it's the most painful thing he's ever experienced. He releases a pained scream, and pants. He looks over at Obito with his remaining eye, and grunts out "How the HELL aren't you in pain right now?!"

Obito smiles at him. "I am. But I believe that this is the right thing to do."

Naruto grimaces, and hands his eye over to Sasuke. "Sasuke, keep this safe; I'll be wanting it back after this is all over." Sasuke grunts, and slips it into one of the sealing matrixes on his vambraces. With that, both Obito and Naruto pull out their final eyes, and Naruto takes them both.

With a grunt, he slides them into his eye sockets, with the healing Chakra from his Sage Mode and Kurama working in tandem to integrate it into his skull. However, with a sudden crash, they all look up to see a massive sphere of black Chakra.

"Oh shit." says Kakashi. 'Guy, remember what you said earlier? THIS one is a little big for one of those things.' The sphere hovered above them, and Naruto, with a split second, deactivates his Kurama Avatar. He spins, creating 4 Shadow Clones without even a hand seal. Each clone grabs one of his friends, with the last clone flying towards Kaguya to buy him precious time. The clones blast away from him, faster than even the Sharingan can track.

"Naruto!" yells Sasuke, "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Sorry Sasuke, but we need to clear the blast! The Boss can handle it; he's got a plan."

"What the hell do you think you can do?! You can't stop that thing! Only the power of the Rinnegan can do that!"

Naruto frowns. "Sasuke, I'll be honest; I don't know if the Boss is gonna survive this attack. He has a plan that will stop Kaguya, but I don't know if he'll come out alive. So if he doesn't, I need you to promise me something."

Sasuke glares with his one good eye. "What the hell are you talking about Loser? What do you want from me?"

"Sasuke, in case I don't survive this I have one last request for you." Naruto smiles grimly, even as they fly through the air, no doubt dozens of kilometers away by now. "I need you to become Hokage. Not whatever revenge driven crazy Hokage you wanted to be, but a good one, like Itachi would have been… one who can see both the light in the village and the dark, someone who can bring everyone together, like a family."

Sasuke glares at Naruto. "My family is dead Naruto, they died for that village that you're so fond of. But don't worry, brother, when you're dead and gone I'll rule the village, and I'll make sure that the village remains strong."

Naruto sighs. "Sasuke, I want you to be Hokage because your family is dead. I want you to see the whole village as your family."

"Heh. You know, Loser, the First Hokage said that to Madara. And look what he became, a weak man dependant on a tree, and the Tailed Beasts. A pathetic relic of the past."

Naruto sighs. "Who knows… maybe if he'd become Hokage, Madara could have saved the world… just maybe."

Suddenly, the Tailed Beast Bomb on the horizon swells in size, nearly blocking out the light of the setting sun.

"Huh. That's bigger than I thought it would be." Naruto comments, nonplussed at the giant sphere of destruction.

"Loser, why don't you just use the Kamui on me now? That way we'll be safe from the blast." Sasuke questions, looking back at the Tailed Beast Bomb in slight trepidation.

Naruto snickers. "Because, Sasuke, where do you think I'm gonna send that Tailed Beast Bomb?" Sasuke starts in realization.

"You're going to use Kakashi's long range Kamui on it…"

"Yep!" Naruto beams. "And then…"

The Tailed Beast Bomb suddenly twists, and vanishes.

"Great, now let's get back there!" Sasuke demands. Naruto nods, and then immediately his clone pops. Sasuke looks around for one second, then begins to fall, screaming.

"Sage DAMNIT! NARUTO! I hate you!" He clenches his hands together. "Hopefully I have enough Chakra for this…" He weaves the hand seals: "Summoning Jutsu!" A large cloud appears beneath him: it's a giant snake. Upon seeing it, Sasuke yells:

"Aoda! Swallow me then reverse summon yourself!" Aoda looks around, and immediately swallows Sasuke, then vanishes in a cloud of smoke.

_Back with the Original Naruto…_

Naruto looked up as his clone engaged Kaguya. He sat down on the ground, and crossed his legs. He settles into his spot, and begins to take in Nature Energy, as much as he can. In a mere five seconds, Kaguya has destroyed his clone, and starts throwing weird gray sticks at him. Naruto, in his infinite wisdom, decides that the spikes are probably dangerous, and dodges them all. The ones he can't dodge, he blocks with his Truthseeker Orbs.

Naruto howls, and in a burst of light, flashes up beside Kaguya faster than she can see. With a swing of his arm, she loses her own in a slash of Wind Chakra. Speeding away, he watches as she begins to try and heal herself.

"Well, here goes nothing…" he grumbles, closing his right eye. Spreading his left eye wide, he rushes his Chakra to it activating the Sharingan, and then the Mangekyou Sharingan, before focusing on the Tailed Beast Bomb. "KAMUI!" He roars, glaring into the very center of the Tailed Beast Bomb as it twists, and vanishes

Feeling awfully proud of himself, Naruto glances towards Kaguya, who's gaping at where her massive attack used to be. He begins to laugh gregariously, pointing at her while shaking his head.

"How do ya like that, Super Gramps Sage's Granny?!" he yells across the valley they've created. "What'cha gonna do now, huh?!"

Kaguya slowly turns and glares at him. "You… insufferable little brat. Asura, you will die here. You can keep your Chakra; I am going to end you."

Naruto's eyes widen as she vanishes, appearing right above him. He braces his arms for her strike, but it goes right through him. He lowers his arms, and Kaguya floats up to his level, looking at him quizzically. "What… was that?" she questions, confused.

"Mother" purrs Black Zetsu, "That was the Kamui, a jutsu that transports parts of your body to another Time-Space when objects would come into contact with it. You'll need to attack him for 6 minutes straight, that's how long he can remain 'intangible' for."

Naruto frowns. He was not aware that Obito's Kamui had a time limit weakness, but then again, Itachi had said every jutsu has a weakness. Looks like he just learned the weakness of the Kamui the easy way, rather than the hard way, which meant he could account for it.

Suddenly, he had an idea. With a grin, he flew into Kaguya's face, and went straight through her, before turning and kicking her into the ground. Then, he floated above her, manipulating his Truthseeker Orbs into javelins which he fired at her like ballista bolts.

With a growl, Kaguya batted them away, before flying up at Naruto. With her hand coated in swirling chakra, she punched at his head, only for her fist to fly right through it! However, resting right behind his head was a Truthseeker Orb! Kaguya's eyes widen in horror as her arm is slowly sliding into the black sphere, disintegrating as it goes. She stops moving as fast as she can, when suddenly a fist slams into her face; Naruto, a vengeful scowl on his face, swings a Truthseeker Staff, slicing off her other arm!

Kaguya moans in pain, and glares at Naruto. "Asura… you are mine!" She sales up into the sky, and flares her chakra, sending a hurricane of wind through the air. Naruto, glaring up at Kaguya, holds out his hand, and creates a Rasengan. Swinging his arm, the Rasengan suddenly expands, with the edge of it smashing into Kaguya. However, as the dust clears, Naruto sees that no harm has been done; Kaguya has absorbed his Chakra, healing one of her arms with it.

Naruto scowls, and just before he lifts off the engage her again, hears a voice in his head. "**Naru, Saiken has idea."** Naruto slows down, and listens to the rest of Saiken's odd way of speaking:

"**Naru, use Saiken's Acid Permeation Jutus; one that big brother Utakata used. It should act as Chakra Cloud that mean Uchiha said to use."**

Naruto smiles happily, and starts to channel Saiken's Chakra into his belly, before expelling a torrent of bubbles. "Sage Art: Water Style: Acid Permeation!"

Kaguya was speechless. The entire battlefield was now covered in spheres of Chakra, making it nearly impossible to see through the sky. With a growl, she pushed out a massive blue chakra arm to push away the bubbles; with a shriek of pain, she saw the bubbles literally eating into her Chakra arms, melting them similarly to the Truthseeker Orbs. Withdrawing her Chakra arms, she creates a torrent of wind, blowing all the bubbles away.

Naruto grimaces. 'This fight has been going on for long enough! Gotta go all out now; everyone's far enough away!' He quickly uses the Kamui, reappearing behind Kaguya, who spins and stabs at his head with her All-Killing Ash Bone; it flies right through his head.

With a grin, Naruto grabs her wrist. "Got you." He quickly sucks her into his Kamui Dimension, before following her in. When he touches down, he quickly flies into the air, dodging the attack he sensed from Kaguya. 'Gotta love Sage Mode!' he thinks.

"You cannot defeat me, Asura. You are not even close to Hagoromo, and even he needed Hamura to defeat me. Alone, you are nothing." Kaguya pontificates loudly.

"Lady, don't you get it? I'm not alone! This whole dimension was given to me by Obito! My friends believe in me, and my Master entrusted to me his dream!" Naruto yells up at her.

Kaguya laughs. "Foolish little Asura. All those 'friends' you prattle on about cannot help you here."

"Ah shaddup, I don't care what you think! I'm not Asura, my name is Naruto Uzumaki, and THIS will be where you die!" With that, Naruto looks to the sky, with Kaguya slowly turning to look as well. The sky is virtually non-existent; all that's there is darkness. But it's getting closer.

Kaguya's eyes widen. 'Is that… the Tailed Beast Bomb?!'

Naruto smirks. "No matter what happens, we'll both die here. You will never plague the world again!" With a scream, Kaguya turns and fires an All-Killing Ash Bone at Naruto, who with the aid of the Sharingan and Sage Arts, side steps and grabs it in the center of the shaft. He leaps, and with a quick Body Flicker aided by the Sharingan and Sage Arts, appears in front of Kaguya, and stabs her in the shoulder. He grins, but is blindsided by a colossal fist of blue Chakra which smashes into him, sending him crashing down between the floating cubes in the Kamui Dimension. He groans, trying to get his bearings as he tumbles down between the massive cubes.

"**Naruto!"** roars Kurama, "**Fly up NOW! The space down below is outside of structured Time-Space! It's the void between worlds! If you fall in there, there's no telling where or when you'll come out!"**

With a gulp, Naruto flings out his Chakra arms, grabbing onto the cubes beside him, and stopping his descent, before flying up. Suddenly, the gap above him is filled with the brightest light he's ever seen. His vision is filled by the white light, and he's blasted by an immense shockwave. The Tailed Beast Bomb, which contained more Chakra than any attack in the history of Chakra, has exploded, the shockwave blasting him with more force than even Nagato's Planetary Devastation could exert. Naruto loses his grip, and with a curse, is sent flying into Unstable Space-Time.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: An Unexpected Meeting**

Naruto was confused. When Kurama had said 'The Void', he was expecting something a little more… empty. Instead, there was stuff everywhere, bits of houses, trees, and some weird stuff he couldn't identify.

'Kurama, I know that we're outside of… uh…'

"**Structured Space, brat, and yes, we're in a space that is not space, floating for time that's not time. We could emerge at any second, on both sides."**

'Both sides, Kurama? You mean that we could leave here in a second, or a year, and emerge from here either a second or a year from when we fell, regardless of when we leave?'

"**Yes, brat. And when that happens, the injuries you sustained in your fight are going to hurt like a bitch."** Kurama growled, seemingly pleased with this fact.

'Whaddya mean? I don't feel injured…' Naruto looks down at himself, and immediately regrets it.

"**Naruto, if I were you I'd close your eyes."** Gyuki recommends. But it's too late; Naruto has the unpleasant experience of seeing himself when Space is unstructured. Simply, his body looks like it's kilometers long, with some parts contorted in ways that are simply unnatural; to the point where he can't tell if it's because of his injuries or because of the way space is messed up. He screams:

"AHHHH! GUYS! MY BODY! It's all weird and gross!" Naruto watches as he tries to make a fist, only for his fingers to clench outwards, away from his palm. He screams again, and closes his eyes. Unfortunately, this resulted in him horrifically seeing his eyelids as though they were meters away from his eyes, with all the fluids and tears sliding within the space between his eyes and their lids. He screamed again, and opening his eyes, look up at the floating waste in the void, which, while similarly twisted and wrong, is much less revolting to look at than your own body. Naruto was just grateful that Obito's Sharingan was deactivated when he saw his mangled body.

"**Seriously, Gyuki? Why did you tell him to close his eyes?"** Chomei reproves.

"**I'm sorry, I didn't think that even his eyelids would be so disjointed from him."** Gyuki apologizes. Naruto continues to stare up at the twisting debris, avoiding his body as best he can.

"**Naruto, come into your mindscape. That way you won't need to endure the fluidness of Unstructured Space."** Matatabi purrs. Naruto, upon hearing this, immediately agrees.

'Yeah, good idea." Concentrating, he reappears in his mindscape. Looking around, he's surprised by the change. Where once his mindscape was gloomy and damp, now it's a large field, with trees on the edge. Sitting around a small lake in the center of the meadow are the Tailed Beasts, notably not arranged in numerical order. Rather, they appear to be sitting with the others most closely related to their own elemental affinities, or the ones who would be the least likely to argue and pick a fight with them. Isobu sat with Saiken and Kokuo, Matatabi with Kurama and Son Goku. Gyuki was sitting next to Shukaku and Chomei. All of them turned to see Naruto, who was taking in the sight.

"Why… is my mindscape so… different? What's going on?"

Gyuki snorts. "**You can blame Kurama for that. In what I think is the greatest example of self pity, of all time, he influenced his prison around him to make it more dismal, and horrible."** Naruto turns to look at Kurama, a questioning look on his face. Looking down Kurama sighs.

"**I thought you would be more… amenable to freeing me if you thought I was constantly being tortured by boredom and despair."** He looks up at Naruto's affronted face. "**Hey, don't blame me brat! This prison was equally despicable, no matter how it looked!"**

Naruto looks down and sighs, before looking back at Kurama. "I know, and I'm sorry you had to go through it all. Once we leave the Void, you can leave if you want. You all can."

The Tailed Beasts, while not shocked, are pleasantly surprised. They all glance among each other, before coming to the silent agreement that Kurama would answer, as Naruto's first partner.

"**Naruto, I think I speak for all of my brothers and sister that we won't leave you when you leave Unstructured Space. Where else would we be welcome? While you may have changed the Shinobi of your time, and that's a BIG maybe since the war was against the Ten Tails, a Tailed Beast, we have no guarantee that we'll emerge at the right place or the right time, where or when Tailed Beasts are not hunted and sealed. Chances are we'll emerge before the war, centuries after the war, or even in another dimension where there has been no war."**

Naruto frowns, and looks out at the forest, thinking to himself. "Then… I've failed? I didn't bring peace, and I've left Sasuke alone to deactivate the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Will he be able to? I mean, you're guys' Chakra should have dissipated around the area, so he should be able to deactivate it. Right?"

The Tailed Beasts look almost amused by his thoughts. "**Naruto"** says Son Goku, "**Didn't you… feel it?"** Naruto frowns, and looks up at Son Goku.

"Feel what?" Naruto asks, confusion mixed with fear in his voice.

Kurama interrupts, rising from his belly onto his haunches. "**Brat, that last attack you did destroyed Kaguya. Utterly obliterated her. And it wasn't the Tailed Beast Bomb, although that did a number on her. It was her gray rod thing. While she was hit by the Tailed Beast Bomb, that rod completely disintegrated her; down to a molecular level. And when that happened, all our Chakra came back to the nearest concentration of it; us."** Naruto is suddenly white with fear.

"Then Sasuke has no way to deactivate the Infinite Tsukuyomi! Crap, we need to get back!" He starts to run around, talking to himself, and mumbling ways to get back. "We could use the Kamui again… or the Flying Raijin… I'm sure with enough time, I could learn it… or maybe the Summoning Jutsu… the Toads could Reverse Summon me… ohhhhhhhhh." He groans, trying to think of a way home. Suddenly, Kurama barks at him.

"**Naruto, heel!"** Naruto freezes, and turns to look at Kurama sheepishly. "**Foolish brat! Remember, the Uchiha doesn't need our Chakra; the Divine Tree, while cut down, still has a stump. He could absorb some of our Chakra from there, and even if he's too stupid to do that, which I doubt, the other Uchiha stole some of Madara's Six Paths power, which contains a smidgeon of our own power; he could be your substitute in undoing the Infinite Dream."**

Naruto lets out a relieved sigh, and sits down next to the lake. "**However."** Naruto looks up again at Kurama, "**Since you didn't notice our Chakra returning to us that means that you also wouldn't have noticed…" **Kurama trails off, and looks to his siblings in concern. Naruto, worried, asks what's going on. "Guys? What didn't I notice? I felt a weird… pulling feeling in my stomach, and my hand felt like it was burning, but other than that I felt fine… I thought it was the Light Mark reacting to Kaguya's death…" The Tailed Beasts are surprised by Naruto's insight into how the Light Mark worked, and that he'd surmised that the mark would leave once Kaguya was defeated. However; "**Naruto, the mark wouldn't disappear if Kaguya was dead. That mark would have been expended when you sealed her, which you didn't. Something else happened to your hand…"** At that, Naruto raised his hand. Nestled in his palm was the Light Mark; however, in it's center rested a small black diamond. He raises an eyebrow, curious. Lifting his palm up to the light, he asks what it is.

"**Hmmmmm. I'm not sure. I've not seen it's like before. Have any of you?"** Kurama responds and questions. All of his siblings respond in the negative however. Although, Shukaku does have a thought. "**It looks like a cursed seal, and feels like one too! You may be housing more than just us now, Naruto!"** He says in his snarky voice. Naruto, upon hearing that, frowns.

"Then shouldn't whatever's in it be in here as well?" The Tailed Beasts tense, and look around.

…

…

…

They don't see anything. Kurama breaks the silence, "**I don't know, I think we would've sensed whatever is sealed within that mark, but I can't be sure. We should keep an eye open; maybe whatever's sealed within will make contact: that was my approach after all."** Once more, Naruto frowns.

"Too bad it's on my sun mark; I could have cut off my hand, then regrown it with the Creation of All Things Jutsu." He comments, drawing frowns from all the Tailed Beasts.

"**Naruto"** cautions Isobu, "**I wouldn't mutilate yourself just to remove a seal; if it came from Kaguya as some last curse, then I doubt that you could just remove it. It's probably tied to your soul."** The rest of the Tailed Beasts agree with Isobu, although some agree simply because they don't wish to see Naruto hurt himself. Naruto sighs, and sits down.

"Well, I don't know if this'll work, but I need a nap, so I'm gonna sleep here. Maybe I'll really sleep." At that, Shukaku perks up, and hurriedly exclaims:

"**Naruto, while I was sealed in Gaara I took note of the ways he would release me, in fact I was the one who taught him most of his ninjutsu."** Naruto glares up at Shukaku.

"Why would I care about that now, Shukaku? I just want to sleep, not train!" He grumbles, rolling over on his side. Shukaku snickers, and raises himself up.

"**I'll have you know that I know many jutsu! I'm the great Shukaku! But the one I'll teach you know is the great Sleeping Possum Jutsu! It forces you to sleep, like a self inflicted Genjutsu." **Naruto props himself up, and looks at Shukaku.

"Fine. Since I can't sleep anyways, how do I do it?" Shukaku looks elated, and starts explaining the intricacies of the jutsu; like a mad scientist, he reveals subtle genius hidden beneath a veneer of madness. His siblings are dumbstruck.

"**Was… Shu always so clever?"** questions Son Goku.

"**I'm not sure… it's possible, I guess, but he's hidden it remarkably well for millenia." **Kokuo responds, similarly astounded at the depth Shukaku had gone in the design of the jutsu. It covered everything, from the sleep timer to set for when you wanted to wake up, even to an attached sensory jutsu to wake you if someone came within a certain distance of your sleeping body. He also had other failsafes, things to prevent dreaming, a certain level of control over how much you'd toss and turn, and even a snoring mechanism. Shukaku explained why he put all these details into the jutsu:

"**Well I couldn't have Gaara snoring on my forehead, or moving around, or sending me dreams through our shared connection, and I taught him the version where he would wake up forty eight hours after going to sleep to allow me perfect control!"** It wasn't the masterwork of the jutsu that stilled Kurama, although he was astounded. It was the fact that Naruto understood the explanation entirely, even the complex Genjutsu portions that silenced him. Maybe it was just the way Shukaku was explaining it, but he had a feeling something else was going on. Naruto was fully comprehending the complex explanation, and he wanted to know why.

"**Naruto, what would happen if you poured too much Wind Chakra into a Water Barrier Jutsu?" **he asks, wanting to start small. Naruto looks up at Kurama, confused.

"The Wind Chakra would either make the Water Barrier Jutsu swirl uncontrollably… unless… since it's a Barrier Jutsu, not a Ninjutsu, the water would be uniformly distributed and would be immovable, unlike the Wall of Water Jutsu… Therefore, the Wind Chakra would freeze the Water Barrier and create… ice?" Naruto ends, trailing off. "How… did I know that?"

Kurama puffs up with pride. "**Brat, you appear to have inherited the Sage's inherent knowledge of Jutsu; it must have awakened, or come with, your Six Paths Power."** Naruto beams, elated.

"So… I can understand Jutsu better now?" Kurama nods, before explaining further.

"**The Old Man was remarkable; he was able to perfectly understand not only Jutsu, but Chakra itself. After undergoing even further Sage training, he also came to understand the nature of the Universe. He grew wiser, and with his abilities to passively absorb Chakra with the Rinnegan, he eventually began to spend all his time in his Enlightened Sage Mode. He was calm, patient, and above all else, kind."**

Naruto grew calm and happy hearing this, and eager. "Would it be possible for me to learn this 'Enlightened Sage Mode'?" He asks hopefully.

Kurama considers, and right before he can respond he's interrupted by Chomei.

"**Naruto, Father spent many years learning his Enlightened Sage Power, but he didn't have the advantage you have; Ninjutsu."** Naruto smiles, and quickly picks up where Chomei left off.

"Yeah! I can use Shadow Clones, and exponentially increase the rate of my training; that way I can learn Enlightened Sage Mode in days!" At that comment, Kurama rises up and roars at Naruto:

"**No! You are not going to do it that way!"** All the other Tailed Beasts, and Naruto, look at Kurama, confused as to why he's so hostile about it.

"Kurama, why not? It'll make it go by faster and-" Kurama interrupts Naruto with a glare, before continuing.

"**The Old Man used to say that the destination was not as important as the journey, and what you learned along the way was what truly changed you. If you try and do this training the easy way, and skip out on all the hardship, then the training will have meant nothing."** As he explains, the rest of the Tailed Beasts begin to understand what he means, and agree. "**You cannot become enlightened in a couple days; it took the Sage years because it wasn't something you can do in one place: he had to wander, and learn about the world, meditate, and thereafter he learned about the world, and it's people."** Gyuki agrees, before sending a knowing look at Kurama.

"Alright then. What better place to try and become Enlightened about the world than a place without the world?" Naruto declares, drawing proud looks from the assembled Beasts.

"**Good. While you meditate outside your mindscape, you can have clones within your mindscape learn from each of us about our various skills and abilities; as well as the Jutsu we… observed our Jinchuriki use over the decades. Hell, some of us might just have interesting history lessons we can impart to you that will help with your Sage training!"** Kokuo declares, rising up with the rest of his siblings. Naruto sends them all a brave smile, before yawning hugely.

"**But before that, sleep!"** squeals Shukaku, excited to pass on abilities that he's been saving for eons to the Inheritor of his Father. Naruto, upon seeing the excitement that the rest of the Tailed Beasts are in, smiles and pumps his fist.

"Right!" he yells, before flying through the handsigns, and promptly falling over before disappearing.

"**Where'd Naru go?"** asks Saiken, who was still a little befuddled by the whole thing. He was a simple creature, who wanted nothing more than to live; all this talk about advanced combat simply didn't interest him all that much.

Gyuki was the one who answered him: "**When a Jinchuriki sleeps they don't appear in their mindscape. Which I learned was a good thing; eight blissful hours of silence from Bee's incessant rapping was the only thing that kept me sane each day." **His siblings laugh at his small joke, before hearing a thump.

Kurama has rolled over, falling asleep himself. All the other Tailed Beasts smile, before leaving to sleep in their natural habitats; Saiken in a small cave filled with dampness, Matatabi in the bamboo woods near the forest, Kokuo in the fields next to the pond, Son Goku in a small vale modeled after Suirendo, Isobu in the lake, Shukaku in the beach near the lake, Gyuki in a rocky crag by the forest, and Chomei lies in the forest itself.

They all settle in nicely and drift off; with none of them noticing the pond begin to glow with an eerie white colour...

_Naruto, Dreams_

Naruto was pretty sure he was dreaming; after all, he hadn't specified that he wouldn't when using the Sleeping Possum Jutsu. And it would explain why he was floating in an orange fog with bits of gray debris around him. It was possible he was back in Unstable Space-Time, but his body wasn't contorted in strange ways. He looked around a bit, before hearing a voice.

"You… you little… child. How could someone like you best me? I was divine, I was a God…"

Naruto slowly turned, and floating before him was a battered and bruised Kaguya, and she did not look happy.

"GAH! Rabbit Bitch!" he shrieked, before thrusting his hand forwards, willing a Wind Style Rasengan into existence. Only, it didn't appear, and all he did was touch her face. He waited a few seconds before pulling back his palm.

"What the hell did you do?!" With a quick second of sensing, he realized that he didn't have his Chakra, and neither did she. 'Or my sensing is blocked…' he thinks, before Kaguya interrupts his thoughts.

"Little Storm, this is deep within your mind, in the Realm of Dreams. I've been waiting for you here; after you dropped into Timeless Space, the only place for me to wait was here, where I knew you'd come."

"So you're back for more eh? Well, even without my Chakra I'll fight you!" Naruto cries, as he rears his fist back. He casts his arm forwards, but Kaguya simply drifts behind him.

"Asura, no, Naruto Uzumaki, you have defeated me. You also took away the reason for my existence; they will no longer come." Naruto is understandably confused by this.

"What do you mean? Who won't come?" he asks. Kaguya responds haughtily;

"Members of the Otsutsuki Clan have the mission to hunt down and recover the Fruits of the Divine Trees; once I consumed it to bring peace to the world I thereafter needed to protect that world from the Clan, who would send the Hunter Three: Kinshiki, Momoshiki and Urashiki Otsutsuki. However, by removing the Chakra of the Divine Tree from the planet, you've completely removed any chance of them detecting it." Naruto looks at her, once more not completely understanding something she said.

"I have one question, and you better answer truthfully." He barks. "Why did you consume the fruit instead of going home? Why did you risk the fury of your clan?"

Kaguya smiles benevolently, crossing her arms in front of her in a priestly manner. "I sought to bring peace to the world I visited; I wanted to help all who lived there, and bring an age of bliss to them all. Unfortunately, the Clan would try to defeat me, and to ensure my complete failure, would have destroyed the world."

Naruto was flummoxed, and couldn't tell if Kaguya was telling the truth. On one hand, he wanted to believe her. The only problem was…

"You probably don't know this, but I have the ability to sense negativity." Naruto says, looking at Kaguya carefully as she blanches. "And you, you positively ooze it. I don't know if you're telling the truth, if when you started this 'crusade' you did have positive intentions. But that doesn't change that right now, all I sense from you is hatred and fury. There's not even any regret about what you've done." Kaguya is furious, and drops her mask of love and caring, becoming cold and ruthless, just as she was in their battle.

"Very well then, Asura. However, know this: I have sealed myself within you. When the time comes that you are weakened and feeble, I shall take over; and then you will die." She proclaims, widening her arms and raising them high. "Those who defeat Gods cannot remain mere mortals. I curse you, Reincarnate of Asura, I curse you to lose that which flocks those to you; I banish away your goodwill, your love, and your forgiveness!" She roars as her robes flap in an invisible wind.

Naruto glares, and despite his lack of power, stands firm. "I don't care what you say, curse, or otherwise! I've broken this curse before, and I'll do it again!"

Kaguya frowns at his proclamation, lowering her arms. "What do you mean, Child of Hagoromo? You have been cursed in this way before now?"

"'The entire Shinobi World is a world governed by hatred.' Those are the words of my Master, my Sibling Student, the man who gave me his eyes, and the words spoken by Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju, the founders of the Leaf! The Pervy Sage and Nagato entrusted to me to break that curse! And I've done my very best to do so. I believe that with my fall, the loss of the Tailed Beasts, and the Defeat of the Curse of Hatred, that the Shinobi World will now no longer be ruled; it will be…" he trails off, unsure how to continue, but his conviction echoing in the void.

Kaguya was floored by his firm, unyielding conviction. Naruto didn't care if he was cursed, he didn't believe in destiny. No curse would bind him… he'd make his own path.

"Very well then, Naruto." Kaguya speaks, her voice subdued, and broken. "Maybe… just maybe… my path… was the wrong one… Hashirama…" Naruto starts as her voice suddenly becomes more masucline, and her hair turns raven black. Her body begins to split, until standing before him is Madara, clad in his black Shinobi pants. His eyes are a charcoal black, and he no longer has Hashirama's face on his chest. He looks towards Naruto, and smiles.

"Maybe… you and Hashirama were right. Maybe it is time for Shinobi like me to leave the world in peace. Farewell, young Shinobi. Wherever you go, don't make the mistake of the Sage. Don't gift a power that can be used for evil." His body turns a bright and noble blue, before he bursts into a thousand particles, dissipating in the void. "Don't make the Shinobi the villains of your new home…" his voice whispers out, before the Chakra particles fade entirely. Naruto looks awed at the sight, bowing before the Chakra.

"I won't let you down, Madara Uchiha. Despite what you did, it was your actions which united the Shinobi World. Without you, it may have taken centuries to unite the Shinobi World. You truly were deserving the title 'Saviour of this World'. May you rest in peace."

Kaguya looked on, completely and utterly baffled. "But… I cursed you… why did you forgive him? Black Zetsu left me some of his memories before he fell, that man was a monster who killed thousands!" she snaps, exasperated by Naruto's continued good nature.

"You are right." responds Naruto stoically. "But how many millions or billions would have fallen if he hadn't prompted the war? He stopped what could have been known as the Era of Warring Villages. He saw it's beginning, and ended it before two centuries had passed. The Great Ninja Wars are a black mark on history; they were bloodier than even the Warring Clans Era, and Madara ensured that this chapter of history came to an end. While I hate his method, there's no denying that he was doing what he thought was best, and it did work to unite the world."

Naruto turns to Kaguya, facing her down. "He may not have accomplished what he set out to do, he may not have had the greatest plan, but he still died a Shinobi. And every Shinobi deserves respect for the pain they endure." He turns to Kaguya. "And that is why you will not defeat me. Even if I must hold you back for an eternity, you will never again walk my or any other world." he declares, standing firm, like the immovable object before the unstoppable force. He watches as Kaguya struggles, before sighing.

"You will fall, Asura. It's only a matter of time. And then I will be in control." She whispers, before waving her hand as the void fades to blackness.

Naruto slowly woke in his mindscape, and looked around. He could see the Tailed Beasts still sleeping around his new mindscape. Honestly, he was bored. He looked around, and decided to do a little tree hopping to calm calm himself. It had always worked around the Hidden Leaf. With that thought, he went running over to the trees, and started hopping from branch to branch.

He continued for a couple hours before he eventually tripped in the bamboo forest ('Hey, give me a break, I'm not used to bamboo!'), and with a cry, fell onto Matatabi. She awoke with a yeowl, and batted him away with her paw, sending him flying through the air. He spun midair, and with a twist of his hand, blasted behind himself with Wind Chakra, sending a burst of wind to slow himself. He slowed, and landed on the lake, creating a line on white foam behind him as he slid across the water before grinding to a halt. He breathed deeply, groaning as he rubbed his arm; he'd barely managed to block the Two Tails' attack. She'd really hit him, arm paw burning him as well as nearly breaking his arm. He sat down with a groan as Matatabi ran from the woods towards him, concern evident on her face.

"**Naruto! Are you all right?!"** she cried across the field, waking most of the Tailed Beasts as well. Naruto walked over to the side of the beach, and plopped into the sand. He tried to catch his breath as he lay in the sand, before he felt some slight movement. He looked down and saw the sand moving into a couch shape, thanks to the efforts of Shukaku.

"I'm fine… wow you're strong… wheeew..." he wheezes out.

"**What did you do Naruto?"** growls Kurama, irritated at being awoken.

"Just… tripped and fell on Matatabi when she was sleeping… big mistake…"

"**Well, you did land on one of my tails. It hurt!"** Matatabi purrs out insignantly at Kurama's glare. Shukaku squeals;

"**Naru, Naru! Now that you're awake, and I'm awake, we can start your training! I'm gonna make you even greater than Gaara was! You'll be the Terror of the Desert! The Monster on the Dunes! The-"** Kurama interrupts him brusquely.

"**Naruto, I can feel your apprehension. What happened while we were sleeping?"** he grumbles, crossing his arms in front of himself as he lies down.

"Well… I found out what this diamond mark is." Naruto begins, sitting up and crossing his legs. He then explains, quite eloquently, what passed between him and Kaguya. However, when he reaches the point at which Madara resurfaced, the Tailed Beasts are split in the middle. Kurama, along with Son Goku, Shukaku, Gyuki and Matatabi, thought that Naruto was mistaken in how he believed Madara was a good person, and deserved respect. The others were not tainted by personal beliefs, or were prone to violence, and thought that Naruto was living up to the standard set by the Sage. Either way, they all agreed with how he responded to Kaguya.

"**Naruto, she might try to take over your body at any time. We need to be constantly prepared for it; much like when I was sealed within you-"** Kuraram explains just as Shuakaku interrupts him.

"**Wait, you dumb fox! There's something you've forgotten!"** he cheers in jubilation.

"What is it you stupid racoon?!" Kurama roars, furious that his superiority is being questioned in any way.

"**Since our Chakra returned to us with her death, Kaguya is nearly nothing now! Even Naruto has more Chakra than her! With all of us supporting him, he'll never need to worry!"** Shukaku snickers.

"**A bluff then?"** Son Goku muses, rubbing his hands together. "**Didn't think the Rabbit had it in her… if so, then we could probably kill her, or take her power and strip her of Chakra using the Power of the Sage…"** Naruto was confused by this.

"What Power of the Sage? It seems like he had so many powers…" he groans the last part, fed up with the constant scaling up that the Sage had. He was like an impossible mountain to climb, a challenge that was unbeatable.

"**The Sage's Power to give Chakra also gave him the power to take it away." **Shukaku explains, brooding over the possibilities of seizing Kaguya's power. "**But I don't think we need to do that; let's just find a way to undo the seal then kill her. That way we don't risk anything; who knows what other Jutsu she has tucked away…"** The rest of the Tailed Beasts agree with Shukaku's reasoning, and decide it would be best to wait until they have a way to remove the curse mark from Naruto to deal with Kaguya.

"**So!"** Kurama cheerfully exclaims, "**Time to whip you into shape! You might be alright for a Jinchuriki, but you aren't even close to the level I expect from you to be the Inheritor of the Sage!"** Kurama smiles beatifically, looking down on Naruto's eager face.

"Yeah!" Naruto cries, fully hyped up. "I'm pumped up and ready to go!" He pumps his fist, which swirls with orange and gold Chakra.

"**Now, make ten clones for each of us; you should then begin your Sage Training on your own outside of your mindscape. Honestly, with Enlightened Sage Mode you'd be able to take on Kaguya in her weakened state if you were the same as you were three years ago, so she won't be a problem if you master it now!"** Kurama roars in anticipation, his tails swirling faster than they've ever swirled before in anticipation. Naruto nods, and cries out the name of his signature Jutsu:

"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" and with his cry, a burst of smoke fills the field around him, with one hundred clones springing into existence. Naruto wilts under Kurama's glare.

"**Alright, those ten extra clones are working on Chakra Control, Naruto."** he groans, embarrassed that his Jinchuriki couldn't perform the Jutsu he was most well known for perfectly. Naruto grins and rubs the back of his head sheepishly before fading away to meditate in Timeless Space.


	3. Chapter 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE::**

Wow, this story is more popular than I thought it would be! Thanks guys for all the support! There were some reviews I thought I'd address, as well as concerns I've read:

**GOATMEN:** Don't worry, I don't intend for this to be a harem fic. I always find that harem fics devalue the love that people feel for each other, and furthermore I don't think they work.

**The Karma Seal:** Definitely gonna use THIS in creative ways! If anyone has ideas about it, feel free to PM or review about them!

**Pairings:** Gonna go to WheelDecide to do this. In fact, I'm going to do so after I publish this chapter, so I've probably already done it by the time you read this!

**Well, that's that, have fun reading, and please review! That's what keeps me writing on this site!**

**-Pad**

**Chapter 2: The Drop out of Eternity**

A second, a minute, a year, a decade. Maybe even a century; Naruto was bored. He'd learned under the Tailed Beasts for an immeasurable amount of time. In Timeless Space, he learned, you don't age at all; nothing changed. He had no way of measuring time because he never got hungry, never got tired, and never had to go to the bathroom. The space around him was constantly contorting and twisting itself, and was nearly unrecognizable from one second to the next. The only place where time passed was in his mindscape, but it didn't perfectly fit into how much time passed on the outside.

So yeah. Naruto was bored. He'd gotten as far as he felt was possible in his Sage Training, and had learned almost every Jutsu the Tailed Beasts had to offer. He'd learned more about Ninshu, the History of the World, Chakra, and even more about Time Spaces. Bluntly, he'd begun to actively look for a way out of Timeless Space, since he'd concluded that even if he waited for something to happen, the Void was too vast for him to wait for a way out. And so he developed his second original Jutsu himself.

He called it the Chakra Location Jutsu. By expelling his Chakra around him, he could sense everything that happened within it, much like Nagato's Rain Jutsu. He'd been spreading his Chakra like a giant cloud, slowly enveloping Unstructured Space Time. There was only one problem; at some spots his Chakra would shrink down to the size of a shuriken, at others it would expand outwards to the size of a continent. But it did this randomly, so his net was not as efficient as he'd hoped. He was currently attempting to find a way to control how Space fluctuated…

"What do you think, Gyuki?" Naruto asks of the Eight Tails.

"**Well, I guess it could work… I'm just worried the strain will damage your memory…"** Gyuki responds, worried. Kurama scoffs.

"**Heh, please. The Brat is more than capable of taking this on! He can spread clones all over the Void, and then they can find a way out!"** Kurama says, glad to finally have a way out.

"But… shouldn't I use other clones? Ones that don't send their memories back to me? That way I won't need to…" Naruto trails off, still unsure why there were problems about using clones. While it would be extremely discomforting, it wouldn't be more so than being killed, which almost all of his clones had experienced at one point or another. With a sigh, Naruto aquieses.

"Very well then." He closes his eyes, and enters Sage Mode. Now, however, it was closer to Hashirama's, with much more colouration over his face that resembled the Sage Markings that Hashirama himself bore; it was a more powerful version, but still not Enlightened. He crosses his fingers:

'Multi Shadow Sage Clone Jutsu!' he thinks to himself as over a thousand clones pop into existence in the Void. They all begin to fly about, each of them activating their Sharingans.

"And now, we search." vocalizes the Original Naruto as he zips away like a golden flame.

"Right!" echoes throughout Timeless Space as all the clones follow his example, blasting away in a supernova of golden flames.

Naruto, once more, wasn't sure how much time had passed. He'd been flying, and flying, and flying, but since Time and Space were… messed up, he couldn't tell how far or how long he'd been searching for. But, suddenly, his mind was filled with images of a great green light, stuck within a perfect sphere, something he hadn't seen yet in Unstructured Space. Something was holding it together, and his clone had popped after seeing it. With a grin, he flies in the general direction (he thinks) that his clone went. After immeasurable time, he saw it. A great sphere of… something, translucent and white, with a green light within. He smiles grimly, and flies straight towards it, his clothes burning off his arms as they plunge into the sphere. With a roar, his eyes spin into the Mangekyou, ripping a hole in the sphere with the Kamui. He flies through the rapidly closing hole, and the light fills his vision; then, he's gone.

Naruto groaned as he lay on the ground, incredibly tired. He looked about himself: he had awoken in a small glade in a forest, not dissimilar to the ones he'd grown up in around the Leaf. He smiled as the sun lit up his face, warming him in a way he had almost forgotten.

'**Naruto… you did it! We're free!'** howls Shukaku from his mind, celebrating the freedom they'd achieved. The rest of the Tailed Beasts share Shukaku's joy, and Naruto's head is filled with joyful celebrations, making his smile widen further.

"Thanks, guys. I couldn't have made it without you." He says, reaching out his Chakra wo his mindscape. They Tailed Beasts feel his gratefulness, and respond in kind.

"My only regret… is that I can no longer return home." Naruto whispered quietly, his eyes filling with tears. Now that he had accomplished his goal, he had nothing covering up his shame, and guilt. "My friends… must all think I'm dead."

'**No.'** Naruto hears from his head. '**Naruto, before you left, your clones healed Obito's eyes with the Creation of All Things Technique; you don't remember because the memories were lost in the Void as they tried to find your Chakra to return to. He could have seen the battle you waged, and he'll know what happened. You are alive, and he'll know.'** Kurama soothed from Naruto's mind, trying to ease him into accepting what had happened.

"Really?" Naruto sniffled, still mourning the loss of every one of his friends. "I still miss them, Kurama… just give me this one moment to mourn. I have no Pain to worry over, no students to pass on my learning to…" Naruto thinks back to the last time he mourned, after Jiraiya's death. Shikamaru had dragged him up by getting him to believe that one day he'd be called Naruto-Sensei. That… was no longer possible. He had no responsibilities beyond those to the Tailed Beasts.

'**Naruto you-'** Kurama was interrupted. '**Kurama, that's enough. Give the boy time to mourn. He deserves at least that.'** Chomei rebukes, closing himself off from Naruto's mind. All the other Tailed Beasts follow his example, with Kurama giving one last piece of advice. '**Naruto, you can be called things that, to you, will mean more than Naruto-Sensei… Don't let your grief cloud your bright light.'** Kurama then fades away from Naruto's mind, leaving him alone with his grief.

A couple hours later, at dusk, Naruto began to meditate. He's trying to check the Nature Energy in this 'new world', or at least trying to see if he might have returned to his own. Nature, however, was being rather uncooperative. At some point he stopped trying to absorb the Nature Energy, and went back to the basics; detecting it at all was difficult. As he sat with his eyes closed, he suddenly heard a hiss. A familiar, dreadful hiss. His eyes opening, he gazes upon a gargantuan snake, with odd bone like plates over it's head, covered in red patterns. Naruto looks into it's glowing red eyes, and looks up and down it's tar black body. He sighs.

"Ahhh, snakes, no matter what world. There's always snakes…" he starts to rise to his feet as the snake coils back, suddenly launching forwards at him like a missile. Naruto flicks up his forearm, catching the side of the snake's head with his unfolded backhand. The might of his strike snaps into the head of the snake, breaking it's plating, and killing it instantly. Naruto looks down upon its body as it begins to disappear.

"Huh. Never seen one of these before. A snake that cleans up after itself; can't say I'll complain about it." He remarks as the snake completely dissipates into a black fog, which also begins to vanish. Naruto looks at it's smog, and frowns, activating his Sharingan. From what he can see, the snake was comprised of negative energy, a swirling black miasma. It reminded him of the Zero Tails he fought months ago. He also noted that it didn't appear to have Chakra, or rather, it had half. It appeared to be comprised of solely Yang Chakra, missing it's Yin half. He shrugs, deactivating his Sharingan.

'A mystery for another time.' Naruto thinks, stretching out his senses. 'Good, I can sense a village. It's a couple hundred kilometers away; it should take about an hour to get there on foot.'

With that, he leaps into the trees, dead set on reaching this 'village' and learning all he can about this new world.

'**Naruto, where are you going?'** he heard Kurama call.

"I've detected a village nearby; I'll be there in an hour and find out all I can about this world." Naruto replies, not slowing down.

'**Good plan. Just remember that we don't know what this world is like; there could be threats here far beyond us, or we could be at the top of the food chain. Keep your head down, and don't draw attention to us until you've discovered everything you want to know, and then some." **Kurama instructs, double checking that Naruto has a plan.

"Yeah, no problem Kurama. I'll keep my head under the parapets, as it were." Naruto replies with a smile.

'**Good. Now get to this 'village', and try not to arrive in a method that's surprising. Actually, observe them before you go in; we don't know if they check things like ID before you enter the walls. It's better to establish whether you can sneak in before you try, rather than fail and get captured.' **Kurama decides.

"Ha! Agreed!" Naruto laughs, speeding up.

After nearly an hour of dashing through the trees, Naruto can see the city.

'That… is far larger than a village.' he thinks to himself. 'Well, better observe for now, see if I can sneak in.' And so he watches.

After about twenty minutes, Naruto concludes that they do check ID at the gate. However, the guards don't appear too invested in their jobs; they'd just let in two people obviously feigning their age, without so much as a second look. It'd be easy to gain access to this city.

Slithering down the tree, Naruto waits by the side of the path. Within a couple minutes, he notices a group passing by. With a grin, he slips through the branches, like a shadow. When he's above their group, he closes his eyes, willing his chakra to flow.

'Transformation Jutsu.' he thinks to himself, transforming into a small twig, which, since his arms no longer held himself up, allowed him to fall down into their cart, which was being dragged by two of the people in the group. He waited as the group went through the gate, before applying a small amount of Wind Chakra to push himself off the cart into a nearby alley. With a poof of smoke, he was whole again.

'Well, that was easy.' he thinks to himself, proud of how he snuck into the city. 'Now, first things first: I need new clothes.' He glances down at his battered outfit: his jacket was almost completely destroyed, covered in char marks and rips and tears, it also had a large amount of blood on it, although none of it was his.

'Neji…' he thinks to himself. Resolute, his eyes swirl into the Mangekyou Sharingan, transporting his jacket into the Kamui Dimension. He sighs, and starts to think.

'I should transform so that people don't notice me… I stand out quite a bit, with obvious battle marks and wounds. I also don't have any money, so buying what I need will be… difficult. Do you guys have any ideas?' he thinks inwards.

'**Well, you could steal what you need, but I get the feeling you won't like that.'** Gyuki begins, '**So, I would recommend looking for a homeless shelter; the Hidden Cloud would give out clothing and food to the needy once per week. This place may do something similar.'** Naruto approves of this idea, even though his pride is hit a bit by essentially taking from the needy.

'However,' he thinks, 'I kinda do qualify as needy at the moment…' With his conscience clear, he thinks about who he should transform into, before he comes to the best decision possible, a man who was almost invisible when he knew him: Shino Aburame!

'Honestly, he's almost invisible! Maybe it's because of how quiet he is…' Naruto thinks. 'Anyways, Transformation Jutsu!' Naruto's body is obscured in smoke, and when it clears, Shino stands where he was clad in a green overcoat with a large hood, perfect for rainy days.

With that done, Naruto starts to explore the city.

After many hours of searching, Naruto hadn't found anywhere where he could acquire clothing in a legal way; however he had discovered a bit about the history of the world, just by reading signs here and there, as well as from simple questions. He'd learned the world's name was Remnant, and, although he had yet to see it due to the cloudy night, the moon was shattered. Initially, he was worried about it because that could mean that whatever was sealed within probably escaped, but the Tailed Beasts had reassured him that the shattered moon was probably due to something like a meteorite striking it; the chances of something like Kaguya being sealed in the exact same manner were incredibly slim, but moons were commonplace for most life supporting worlds (at least, so they assumed).

He also had learned about the Shinobi equivalent in this world, the Huntsman and Huntresses. He heard about the Grimm, which he deduced were the same creatures as the giant snake he killed earlier that evening. Honestly, the world excited him. The level of technology they were displaying was far beyond his own, leading to a sneaking theory. He theorized that the level of personal power someone could attain would limit the level technology would achieve. Since his people had Chakra, they'd had no need for most technology these people had. And these people had something called 'Aura', which he was pretty sure was simply the Yin aspect of Chakra. He was hyped up to learn more, but the fact remained that he still hadn't found any clothes! He was about to give up and just walk into a store asking for clothes, and offering to work for them, when Kurama had a suggestion.

'**Naruto, there's one avenue of thought you haven't gone down. You could use the Creation of all Things Technique to make clothing for yourself.'** The rest of the Tailed Beasts were flabbergasted at this ludicrous suggestion.

'**Kurama,'** Chomei began slowly, '**Are you suggesting that we use the most powerful Jutsu ever, the Jutsu that CREATED us, to do something as mundane as CREATING CLOTHES?!'** Kurama was a little sheepish.

'**I just don't think that our Jinchuriki should go begging! He's above that! Especially when he can just snap his fingers and create something…'** he whimpered, his pride hammered by how pitiful begging for clothes would make them look. The rest of the Tailed Beasts understood: Kurama was a proud creature, that much was certain. He would rather use a grossly overwhelming technique than appear weak, and needy. While it had pushed him to unrivalled levels of strength, right now it was merely stopping them from-

"Great! Why didn't you say so before?" They all turn their thoughts towards Naruto, flummoxed.

'**Naruto, that technique is very powerful, it's almost sacrilegious to use it so flagrantly!' **Gyuki rebukes Naruto sternly.

"Well, it's better than stealing from some poor merchant! And this way I can make my clothes exactly how I want them!" Naruto says with a grin, happy that he doesn't need to steal. While he was fine with vandalizing in his early years, that was only done to people who mistreated him and others. He had no intention of making someone's life difficult if they didn't fully deserve it.

"Alright, here I go!" his eyes switch to golden with a cross shaped iris, "Sage Art: Creation of All Things Jutsu!" He watches as his Chakra splits from his body, molding itself to his will. His Chakra glows with an unearthly light, filling the alley. He closes his eyes, concentrating furiously as he uses the Jutsu. With a small cry, he falls backwards, landing in a heap on the ground, clothing falling on top of him. With a grin his whispers out:

"Heh, I did it…" as he fades from consciousness.

With a groan, Naruto awoke. He was sore, he felt like he'd been run over by a horse. As he grabbed his skull, which was pounding like a drum, he felt something over his arm. Looking down, he saw that it was fabric. Eyes widening, he leapt to his feet, looking at the clothes he'd created. He smiled brightly, looking at his creation.

Honestly, he hadn't needed to think much about it. He remembered trying to decide which clothes to create, and found he didn't want to create the ones he had during the war. They'd been gifted to him by Jiraiya, and it felt weird to create a copy of those clothes. They'd seen their time, and he'd always treasure them, but it was time for a change. So he thought about making the Leaf Shinobi outfit, but even then, he felt that he hadn't earned them. He'd never been promoted to Jonin or even Chunin, so it felt disrespectful to wear the clothes without earning them like every other Shinobi. Then he thought about the people who most impacted his life. His Sage Cloak was an option, but once more he thought that it was something he'd earned from the Toads; they would give a new cloak if they felt he earned it. Speaking of, he'd better try summoning one of them soon, let them know he was alive.

Then, like a stroke of lightning, it hit him. Nagato, Obito, and Itachi. They were the people who he had felt were all truly evil, but they'd all been trying to fulfill the same goal and dream as him. The Akatsuki itself was created to bring about peace; what better emblem to redeem? The leadership of the organization had been redeemed, but it was time for the red cloud to not signify fear, but peace. And that was something he felt that he could wear with pride.

With a smile, he raises the Akatsuki Cloak above himself, before sliding into it. It felt good, he could see why Nagato had chosen it for the symbol of the Akatsuki. With a grin, he started walking out of the alley…

Only to nearly lose his footing when a person smashed out of a window right in front of him! With a stumble, he barely caught himself from stepping on them. He stops, watching as a little girl flies out, landing in the middle of the street, not noticing him standing in the alley on the other side of the street. He glances down each side of the street, but there's no one there. Looking back at the girl, who he sees is wearing a red cape, with a piece of red metal in her hand. Naruto's eyes widen as it begins to grow, sliding into a shape he's only heard of. It appears to be a giant scythe, with red highlights along the shaft. He calmly observes as she systematically takes out the grunts in suits, noting how she uses the grossly oversized weapon almost elegantly, using something he'd learned was a 'gun' to move the scythe blade faster than normal. At some point, he ended up making a little groan as he saw her knee some poor soul in the nuts. He whispers a small prayer for the man, before he sees a veritable peacock of a man walk out after his grunts, bedecked in a bright white coat with a bowler hat. Although, his hair WAS pretty awesome...

"Well" the man says in a snarky tone, "Red, I think we can all say this was an eventful evening. But as much as I would like to stick around," he spits out his cigar, grinding it out with his can, before lifting it up to shoulder height: "I think this is where we both part ways."

Naruto's eyes widen as he sees the tip of the cane flick open, and a small bright orange ball comes flying out at the girl. With a curse, he leaps forwards, kicking the ball out of the way. He lands in a crouch, glaring at the man. The man's eyes widen, before he groans.

"Of course, there's two of them. Could my luck get any. More. Terrible!" he ends shouting, before firing a volley of shots at Naruto and the girl, who's currently gazing at Naruto in awe as he effortlessly bats the balls away with his arms, which seem to be glowing gold.

"Hey man," Naruto says, yawning as he parries each shot, "I know you're really enjoying this, but could you stop? I think you might damage my cloak, and I just made it like ten minutes ago." he complained, watching as the joker became more and more furious.

Eventually, the man stopped firing.

"Well, this has been fun, but I'd much rather get away with my life, sooooo" he trails off, lifting his case in the air before hurling it at Naruto. "End of the line, blondie!" He fires his cane once more, hitting the case in midair, which explodes. Naruto, momentarily stunned, is sent flying into another building, crashing through the wall with a groan.

"No!" yells the girl, turning towards the man, only to see him climbing up a ladder on an adjacent building. Turning towards the old man who owns the Dust Shop, she asks him "Can you check on the boy who just got hit? I'm going after that thief!" The old man nods, running over to the building with a large hole where Naruto crashed in. With that assurance, the girl runs after the man.

"Hey!" the man hears, turning to see the girl on the roof. "Stop!" she demands, turning her scythe upwards, smoke curling from the tip of the shaft.

"Huh, thought you'd go help your friend." the man remarks. "Still, Little Red, this is where WE part ways." At that, the wind picks up as an aircraft hums into the air behind him. The girl takes a step back as the spotlight comes on, pointing right into her face and causing her to squint a bit. The door opens on the side of the aircraft, and the man clambers inside just as a piece of metal bounces off his back. The man turns, and with a growl, sees Naruto on the rooftop just behind the girl. He groans, and filching about in his pockets, notes that he's out of Dust.

"Hey, Boss? Might need some help here!" he calls into the back as more blades and shots start firing at him. He turns and starts firing at them, just when a figure falls from the sky in front of his flares, blocking them all.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" he yells upon seeing the large purple rune floating in the air. Behind it stands a woman with a white blouse and black riding pants as well as a black cape. In her hand is a riding crop, which is now flicking small purple lights at his ship, causing it the rock most precariously. With a snarl, the man flees to the cockpit.

Naruto smiles, thinking they've won, when a new woman walks out, her face wreathed in shadow. Her clothes start to glow, and with a simple hand gesture, fireballs fly out of the ship. With a grin, Naruto matches her, his more battle excited personality beginning to surface.

"WATER STYLE: WATER BULLETS!" he shouts, relishing in the battle as large water balls fly from his mouth, striking the fireballs midair, and dousing them completely. He grins, seeing the woman in the ship stumble from the barrage this new woman fired at the ship. His grin fades when he sees an orange glow beneath her feet.

"Move!" he yells, just as the ground explodes beneath the newcomer's feet. He turns, only to see a massive wave of fire spreading towards him, as well as the red girl. With a twist, he flips in front of her, preparing his next Jutsu.

"Water Style: Wall of Water!" he cries out, just as a wall made of water emerges from his mouth, blocking the flames.

"Wooooow!" the girl cries, "That's so coool!" Naruto turns to tell her to keep her mind on the battle, only to see her loading her gun… scythe… thing. He grunts, and grins.

"Yeah, I suppose it is. Got a name, red?" he asks, calmly firing small spouts of water from his wall to protect the newcomer.

"Yeah! My name's Ruby, Ruby Rose! What's your name?" she asks, not seeing his face smile.

"My name's Naruto Uzumaki. A pleasure to meet you, Ruby Rose." he says, watching as lightning flies down from the ship to his wall! With a growl, he pushes back from it, catching Ruby in his arms as he does so. With a small cry, Ruby looks as the wall is covered in tiny arcing lightning bolts. She breathes a sigh of relief, before looking up at the guy who caught her. She instantly blushes, not only because of his face, handsome as it is, but because of the way he's carrying her. He'd slung her over his shoulder, with her head hear his chest. He looks down at her, and smiles, his eyes closing.

"Don't worry, I've got you." he says, before looking up at the ship. With a small burst of Chakra, his eyes swirl into the Sharingan, allowing him to get a good look at the face of his opponent. She has glowing amber eyes, bordering on gold, with dark gray hair. Her face might be considered attractive by some, but he can see the hatred twisting her features into a revolting snarl. It also doesn't help that he can feel her malice roiling off of her like the Grimm he'd faced earlier. He watches as she flies away.

'**Naruto, why didn't you stop her?!' **Kurama roars, annoyed that someone bested his Jinchuriki.

'Because, Kurama' Naruto responds mentally, 'I still need to keep my head down. At the moment, all I've revealed are my Water Style Jutsu. I hope to keep it this way, for as long as I can.'

'**...Good point. Keep up the good work.'** Naruto is baffled, and nearly drops Ruby. He settles down on the ground, lowering her to her feet. She blushes, and hits his arm.

"Don't carry me like that! I'm not a kid!" Naruto flushes.

"Hey, I had a split second to catch you!" Naruto retorts.

"Well, next time just tell me to move!"

"Only when you can move faster than lightning!"

"Well, guess what water-boy I-" she's cut off by the blonde woman, who walks over to them.

"I need you both to come with me." she says sternly, frowning at them both.

"What? Whyyyyy?" Naruto whines, instinctually doing what he did when Tsunade got mad at him. Ruby, on the other hand, squealed.

"Ohhhh! You're a Huntress!" She gushed. "...can I have your autograph?" The Huntress glares at Ruby, and says something that causes both teens to pale.

"You're both coming with me to the Police Station! Now, follow!" she barks, leading them down to the street.

"Ah, crap." groans Naruto.

_At the Police Station_

'Well, crap.' Naruto thinks to himself as he actively ignores the blonde Huntress, while his compatriot next to him seems to be barely holding it together. 'So much for keeping my head down… on the bright side, this lady doesn't have any ill intent towards me, just annoyance.'

He glances over at Ruby. 'Although, she doesn't seem to realize this.' With that in mind, Naruto reaches over and gives her hand a reassuring squeeze, channeling some of his Chakra into her to calm her.

Ruby's eyes widen slightly at the touch, before suddenly she feels calm, and not stressed at all. She looks over at her new friend, who just gives her an eye smile, just like Kakashi. She smiles back, reassured. The blonde Huntress, just noticing that they aren't paying attention, slams her riding crop on the table.

"Are you ignoring me?!" she says forcefully, glaring down at them as they wilt in fear.

'Aw crap, she really does remind me of Granny Tsunade!' Naruto thinks, sweat forming on his forehead. 'Hope she's not as… uncontrolled.'

'AHHHH! She's going to kill me!' Ruby screams in her head. Suddenly, the door behind the Huntress opens.

"Now now, Glynda, no need to be so forceful. I think this was all just a big misunderstanding." A voice comes from the shadows, slowly materializing into a man with small glasses and gray hair. Naruto looks at him in shock.

'He… looks just like Kakashi-Sensei…'

"Now, what were two young teens such as yourselves doing fighting criminals?" the man says, smiling as he sits down, placing a plate of cookies on the table before sipping his coffee.

"Well sir, ah, you see-" Ruby says, before Naruto interrupts her.

"I was going to find a place to stay for the night when I saw some guy break out a window. Like the Hero I am, I decided he needed to pay for the wanton destruction of the windows he so viciously attacked!" Naruto declared, standing proudly at the end with his hair blowing in a small breeze. The Gray Haired Man smiles and laughs.

"A hero? It's refreshing to see such innocence in the young… and you, Ruby Rose? What was a young girl like you doing wielding one of the most dangerous weapons ever invented in downtown Vale?" he smiles below the rim of his cup.

"Ohmph, muh unc co-" she answers, bits of cooky falling from her mouth. Naruto glances at the cookies, and with a shrug, takes one. His eyes widen.

'Good thing we didn't have these back home; it woulda been hard to stay a Shinobi with these around!' he thinks before grabbing a couple more.

The Man With Gray hair looks at Ruby dubiously. "Could you repeat that?" he asks, straining not to smile at the teens' obvious disregard for what he thinks of them.

"Ooom." Ruby swallows her cookies, "My Uncle Qrow taught me. Before he did I was terrible, but now I'm all WHOO WHAA WHAM" she proceeds to make various comical combat moves, which makes Naruto snicker. Ruby turns to him:

"Hey! Don't laugh at me! I'm a great fighter, and someday I'll be a great Huntress!"

The Man With Gray Hair intercedes:

"So you want to be a Huntress?" he asks, putting down his coffee.

"More than anything." Ruby replies, focused on him, Naruto forgotten.

"And you?" The Man With Gray Hair asks Naruto.

Naruto thinks about it. From what he can tell just from what he learned over the day, Huntsman occupy the same niche as Shinobi except they act more like Wandering Shinobi; they don't have an allegiance to any specific village. The more he thinks about it, the more-

"Aren't you already a Huntsman?" Ruby asks him, shock overcoming her features. Naruto shakes his head.

"No, I've never had a formal education, and never really thought about becoming a Huntsman." he replies. Ruby is stunned.

"But… you're so strong!" she cries, "Those things you made of water… and you're so fast! You're just as fast as my Uncle!"

Naruto smiles, and leans back in his chair, tilting it onto it's back legs.

"Ah, I've just trained a lot outside the city. Fought some Grimm, learned some moves…" he trails off, still not one hundred percent sure what he should say. The Man With Gray Hair leans forward.

"Do you know who I am?" he asks Naruto, curiously. Naruto shakes his head.

"Haven't the foggiest idea." Ruby stares at him in disbelief again.

"He's Professor Ozpin! He's the Headmaster at Beacon Academy!" she groans out, completely astonished at the level of ignorance Naruto was displaying.

"Huh. Never thought I'd meet you." Naruto says, his mind racing a mile a minute. 'OK… so on my first day I've fought a giant snake, and have met the equivalent of a Kage… so much for keeping my head down.'

Ozpin smiles at them both, before standing up, drawing their attention.

"Would you like to attend my school?" he asks them, smiling brightly. Both Naruto and Ruby are stunned, and Ruby immediately answers.

"More than anything." she says, eerily calm on the outside. On the inside… 'Oh my Gods! I'm being invited to Beacon! Deep breaths, stay calm Ruby! EEEE!'

Naruto thinks for a couple seconds. "What would we be expected to do? Beyond Huntsman duties?" he asks, sending Ozpin's face into a pleased look.

'Good, he's already asking important questions. He's displaying the qualities of a leader before he even knows what it means to be one…' Ozpin thinks to himself, before answering.

"You'd be expected to stay on campus in the dorms provided for your team, which is composed of four people. You'll stay for a number of years, usually four, until you pass the final exams. Once you do so, you'll be given your Hunter License, which allows you to take on Missions to hunt Grimm, for which you'd be paid, either privately or by the Kingdoms." he finishes, taking a sip of coffee.

Naruto thinks further, with Ruby looking at him like he's insane for not accepting on the spot.

'Honestly,' Naruto thinks, 'It would be really helpful. I'll be paid for something I'd try to do anyways, I'd have something to do, and best of all, somewhere to stay. The only thing is…'

Naruto looks up at Ozpin, "Are we paid for training missions, or have any source of income while at Beacon? Or do I still need to find a job while going to school?"

Ozpin is floored. "Well, normally parents pay for equipment and such…" Naruto winces, which Ozpin catches, before continuing. "However, the school has an allotment of supplies available for each student, sort of like a Dust Plan for while you attend. Also, we have a very nice cafeteria where we get fresh food every day." He smiles at Naruto, who's looking gobsmacked. Naruto's about to accept, when he has one last question.

"Does your 'cafeteria' have ramen?" he asks slowly. Ozpin thinks for a second.

"Well, we have catering services from Vale, where we get a portion of food in exchange for teaching Huntsmen… so we can have it delivered along with the other food if you want it…"

At that, Naruto's sold. 'Free ramen, free room and board, and learning about the world? Best first day ever!' Naruto rises, bowing to Ozpin.

"In that case I accept, Ozpin-Sensei." He says, bent at the waist. Ozpin is puzzled, but smiles.

"Not that I don't like the respect, and I think you've just won over Glynda" he glances at Glynda, who's looking at Naruto approvingly. "But you don't need to bow to me, or any other teachers. Also, what does… sen-say mean?" he asks, curious.

Naruto flushes. "Sensei means teacher, and by saying it I'm showing you the respect you deserve as a teacher of the new generation." he answers, raising up his head and looking at Ozpin, who's smiling happily.

"Well, it's rare we get such courteous students. You'll both be welcome at Beacon, and your scrolls should receive the enrollment forms soon." Naruto raises his hand up tentatively.

"Ah, Sensei? I don't have a scroll, I'm afraid mine was damaged some time ago by a Grimm, and I have yet to procure a replacement."

Ozpin looks at Naruto studiously, before smiling. "Don't worry, I'll have one for you when school opens. For the meantime, just arrive at Beacon a week from today, at 8:00 o'clock sharp. Initiation starts at 9:00 the next day, and you'll have all day to familiarize yourself with the rest of the students."

Naruto nods, and together with Ruby, leaves the Police Station and heads down the street.

Ruby looks nervous, before shaking her head and tapping Naruto on the shoulder. He turns, looking at her curiously.

"Yeah Ruby?" he asks.

"Well, you said you were looking for a place to stay… why don't you come stay at my place until enrollment? That way I'll have at least one friend going to Beacon with me…" she trails off, seeing his shocked face. "On the other hand," she rushes, "if you have other plans, I mean, you don't need to-" Naruto cuts her off.

"Sorry! Sorry, Ruby, it's just that I'm not used to people inviting me over… no one's ever actually invited me to their house before…" he trails off, remembering all the lonely days off spent playing cards with his Shadow Clones. He bows again.

"I would be honoured to accept your invitation." Ruby blushes, hitting his shoulder while looking away from him.

"Oh, stop it you! I'm just trying to be nice. We all need a place to stay, and maybe we can spar at my place! I saw your sweet Water Semblance, I can't wait to see more of it!"

Naruto smiles, before hinting: "Water isn't **all** my Semblance can do…" he tells her conspiratorially. Ruby is stunned.

"Ohhhhh, I can't wait!" she cries. "Also, what weapons do you use? Is it a Water Sword? A Water Whip? What?!" she ends intensely.

Naruto rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm afraid my weapons were all destroyed in my fight with… the Grimm."

Ruby is curious, "Weapons? As in plural?" Naruto nods, a bit confused.

"Well, yeah. I have kunai, which are little knives made of… Aura channeling metal: they can absorb my Semblance, which makes them stronger, and cut through more. I can throw them, and fight hand to hand with them. Although, if I'm being perfectly honest, I prefer my fists to my kunai."

Ruby's satisfied. "Oh, you're like Yang."

Naruto turns to her, curious. "Well, yeah, I guess, but aren't we all? And how do you know about that?"

Ruby stops, confused. "You know Yang?"

Naruto nods furiously. "Yeah, but I didn't know everyone knew about Yang Chakra… huh."

"Yang Chakra? What? I'm talking about my sister, Yang Xiao Long."

"Ohhh, that would explain it."

"What do you mean?"

"Yang means physical energy, while Yin means spiritual. When you said I was like Yang, I thought you were talking about my dominant energy type."

Ruby nods. "Oh. Well, what I meant was that my sister likes using her fists instead of weapons; although she doesn still have Ember Celica…"

Naruto smiles. "Yeah, I've always found hand to hand to be simpler than weapons, and honestly, I've found it works just as well." He laughs loudly.

Ruby smiles at him. "What is it?"

Naruto stops slowly, wheezing a bit before answering. "Oh, I just realized the answer to what weapon I used should have been simple." He turns, raising his arms. "I AM the weapon!" Ruby laughs uproariously at him as he totters, before lowering his arms and regaining his balance. She trails off, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah Ruby"

"I think we're gonna be great friends."


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: The Start of a Dream**

It was at the receiving end of a furious glower that Naruto first met Taiyang Xiao Long, Ruby's father. He supposed it was natural that her father would be suspicious, but he'd been glaring for more than an hour! At first, Naruto thought that it was because he had come over without the Patriarchs permission, but after nearly forty-five minutes he'd been dissuaded from that line of thought. Naruto had concluded that Mr. Xiao Long didn't like him because he was a boy near his younger daughter. This actually made Naruto respect him more, since it showed how much he cared about his family.

However, not everything was sunshine and rainbows at this household; he'd concluded that Ruby's mother was dead (but not by asking, by studiously observing the signs around him). As a kind of icebreaker, Naruto had offered to pay for lodging, to which Taiyang had immediately refused, suddenly not glaring at him at all.

"No. You don't need to pay us, Ruby invited you over an it would be inhumanely rude to charge you for basic hospitality." Naruto countered this deftly:

"At least let me help you with chores and things; I lived by myself for nearly fifteen years, I'm sure I can help you, either by washing plates or by helping you cook." Taiyang was at a loss. While he immensely wanted to dislike this boy, and chase him away with a poker (and a shotgun) he didn't appear to have any designs on Ruby. He truly seemed to just be a new friend that she invited over. So, he finally acquiesced, and allowed Naruto to help him cook. About half an hour into the cooking time, Yang returned home. Ruby spared no second, rushing to the door.

"Yang! Yang! Guess what?!" she cried, bursting out the front door as Yang rolled up on her motorbike. Yang dismounts, and turns over to Ruby.

"What is it little sis?"

"I was in Vale today looking at Dust in the Dust shop, and then there was this mean angry guy in a suit, and-" Ruby's cut off by Yang.

"Whoa, Rubes, slow down. Let's go inside; knowing you, you haven't told Dad yet right?" she asks, smirking knowingly. Ruby flushes.

"Weellll…" she trails off. Yang smiles as she rolls her motorbike into her garage.

"How about you tell us both over dinner? I can smell it from here… smells different than the normal noodle wok Dad makes…" she says, perplexed.

"Oh, that's cause Naruto's making something called ramen for us." Ruby says happily, skipping back inside. Yang freezes outside.

'There's a guest over? I've never heard of a Naruto before… meh, must be one of Dad's old school buddies.' she shrugs, before walking in.

"Yo Dad, I'm home!" she calls, taking off her shoes. She notes an odd pair of sandals on the floor where the shoes go, concluding (accurately) that they belong to Naruto.

"Come on in sweety! We have a guest tonight, his name's Naruto!"

"Yeah, Ruby said he was making something called… Ramen?"

"Yeah, and while I don't like to admit it," Taiyang comes out of the kitchen, a pleased smile on his face, "it smells better than wok, and has more ingredients too! I swear, this guy's a real well of knowledge about this dish! Can't wait to see if he knows as much about other foods!" he laughs loudly, taking her coat and throwing it over the banister leading up the stairs before marching down the hall. Yang smiles, a bit confused.

"I don't get it, was he not able to cook this before?" she asks, following Taiyang. Now it's his turn to be a bit confused.

"What do you mean? I've only just met the guy!" he exclaims.

Yang frowns. "Then why's he over here?" she asks, scratching her head.

Taiyang frowns, crossing his arms. "Ruby… invited him over." he scowls. Yang, on the other hand, lights up.

"You mean Ruby invited a boy over?!" she squeals, literally bouncing in place before rushing into the kitchen. Taiyang sighs.

"Yeah… that's what I'm afraid of." he says, depressed. Suddenly he perks up: "Although, the kid can cook, so I guess he's off to a good start. But he'll need to do a lot more" he grumbles.

Yang rushes into the kitchen, and sees Ruby sitting on the backrest of a stool, watching a tall blonde boy with the spikiest hair she's ever seen chop vegetables, and toss noodles furiously into boiling water.

"Ruby! I need that Chili Garlic Sauce five minutes ago!" he cries, with Ruby leaping to attention.

"Aye aye, sir!" she cries, before blasting around the room with her Semblance, grabbing the things he needs as he calls them out, with him then perfectly measuring them before tossing them into the noodle mix, which is still somehow swirling on it's own.

"Man, if I had time I'd make you noodles from scratch, but for now we'll make do with these premade packaged ones!" he says, turning. "Would that be alright, Mr. Xiao Long?"

Taiyang peaks in. "These aren't store bought, brat! I made these myself! Each one, meticulously handcrafted!"

"Yeah, I know! I called them premade, not synthetic abominations!" Naruto calls over his shoulder. "They'll work fine, but you need special Ramen Noodles with just the right texture for this dish to be perfect." Naruto stops talking to them, focusing wholeheartedly on his ramen. Ruby leans over to Yang.

"Yeah, when Professor Ozpin offered him a place a Beacon, his condition was that ramen would be served there. I really want to know why he demanded it…" Yang is confused.

"Ozpin offered him a position at Beacon, and he had demands?!" she exclaims. Ruby smiles.

"I'll tell you at dinner." Then, Taiyang tells them to set the table, which they rush off to do while Naruto finishes his Divine Dish.

Once the dish is finished, Naruto calls out. "Hey, Mr. Xiao Long? Where do you keep your bowls?!" Taiyang comes into the room, and grabs four bowls from a top shelf before setting them on the kitchen counter.

"Here kid, knock yourself out. Table's set, just give us the word."

Naruto smiles brightly. "Consider the word given, Mr. Xiao Long! This'll be done in less than a minute" He then lifts the boiling ramen pot above himself, before expertly pouring an equal amount in each bowl. He picks them all up, and walks out to the table, where Yang and Ruby wait.

"Here ya go: Ichiraku's Special!" he says happily, plopping their bowls in front of them. He glances at the three empty seats, before waiting for Taiyang to sit. It wouldn't be proper for him to sit before his hosts. Especially if he took his host's seat. After Taiyang sits, Naruto takes an empty chair, of which there are two. He cunningly takes the one that doesn't have MOM stitched into the back of it, he takes the one labeled UNCLE Q. It appears to be a bit beaten up, with obviously broken legs, but nothing a Shinobi couldn't handle with ease. As they all dig into their meals, Naruto observes that they don't thank for the food. He decides that it must be a cultural difference, not an intentional slight. And of course, he was right. After their first sips or bites, Ruby groans in ecstasy.

"Ohhhhhhhh! This. Is. DELICIOUS!" she cries, waving her fork and spoon around her head (for some reason, Taiyang didn't have chopsticks in his house, weird…). Naruto smiles at Ruby.

"Oh hell yeah it is! Ramen is the food of the Gods! Hell, it should revered like the Log!" he declares, before realizing what he said.

'Oops.' he thinks, as everyone looks at him like he's insane.

Yang's the one to break the silence. "What… Log?" she asks carefully. Naruto thinks himself, pondering how to answer.

"Well," he begins, "My people had a pseudo-religion founded on the signature technique created by our Lord First Hokage, who was our village leader. He could swap places… with a log..." he ends stammeringly, realizing his excuse for the Shinobi Religion (which should not be confused with the Shinobi Creed) was tenuous at best. The chances of them believing him was low.

Everyone looks at him in confusion, before Yang breaks the silence. Again.

"I get it! So he could teleport, and a log would appear where he was?" she asks.

"Not quite." Naruto replies, "The Log needs to be there already, in some way shape or form. From the smallest drop of water, to the largest tree. But if he was about to be hit, his attacker would only hit a log." he smiles, proud of the history of his people.

"Huh." Taiyang comments, "Never heard of a Semblance like that. Where was your village located?"

"Outside Mistral and Vacuo." Naruto replied, having heard of the Kingdoms earlier.

"Huh. Did you stop there on your way to Vale?" Ruby asks.

"I didn't, no. I travelled here on foot, and later entered the city of Vale after a few weeks in the wilds."

Taiyang was shocked. "You lived in the forests for a couple weeks?! What about the Grimm? How did you deal with them without a team to take watches?"

Naruto smiled nervously. "I've mastered a power called…" he strives to remember.

'It's not called Sage Power, that's what I am, a Sage. I guess it's called the intake of natural energy, but does it have a proper name? Huh, gonna have to ask the Toads…' he refocuses on his hosts, who are looking at him quizzically.

"Sorry, got lost in thought. Anyways, I can't remember the proper name for the technique, but it bestows upon me Sagehood, which allows me to sense Natural Energy, and take it into my body. I can sense the Grimm with it, and since it makes me one with nature, they ignore me as they would a bush, or a tree. Besides, even if they did sense me, I'd just wake up and thrash them!"

Yang was interested. "So your Semblance allows you to basically hide from the Grimm? Meh, sounds OK. I think mine's better though."

Ruby's bouncing in her seat: "But that's not all you can do! You were making water things earlier! And moving super fast! Ohhhhhh! That reminds me!"

"What little sis?" Yang asks.

"OK, so today I was at a Dust shop, and then this guy with a bunch of thugs came in and started robbing the place! Then one of them tried robbing me and-" Taiyang interrupts.

"WHAT?! You were robbed?!" he yells, looking at her.

"No dad, I threw him through the window! Then when I went out on the street, all the other guys tried to get me." Taiyang is really nervous now.

"You got into a fight?... are the guys who attacked you OK?"

"Yeah, they should be! I only used the blunt of my scythe on the guys without their Aura activated! Although they might need the hospital… ohhhh I hope they're OK!"

"Get on with the story sis! Or is that it?"

Ruby frantically waves her hands. "No no! OK, then the leader came out to fight! He was really weird, all the other guys wore black suits and red ties with red glasses, but this guy had a big white coat with a bowler. He even had orange hair!" Both Taiyang and Yang are shocked at the same time, but for different reasons. Before Taiyang can comment, Yang interrupts,

"You fought Junior's goons?! I'm gonna get him SO hard when I see him next!" she yells.

Taiyang's next. "That sounds like Roman Torchwick! The biggest criminal in Vale right now! He's supposed to be almost on par with a Huntsman! Are you alright?! What happened?!" he cries.

Ruby giggles sheepishly. "Well, he launched a weird Flame Dust flare at me, but then out of nowhere, Naruto leapt in!" Both Yang and Taiyang look at Naruto gratefully, who's rubbing the back of his head.

"He kicked the flare out of the air and into a nearby building! It was SOOO cool! Hey, I forgot to ask, why didn't your robe get burnt by it?"

Naruto frowns. 'I actually don't know… Any idea, guys?'

Gyuki answers. "**Well, it's because you overloaded the Creation of All Things with Chakra. You created a robe like the Sage's Tools, with special powers. From what you've shown, it must be either fireproof, or extraordinarily durable, maybe even capable of blocking swords! It's shaped by intent, so what did you want when you created the cloak?"**

Naruto thinks to himself. 'Well, I wanted something that could stop the rain, and something that commemorated Obito, Nagato and Itachi. Oh, and I wanted it to be warm! And not be damaged by kunai…' Naruto remembers when he dropped his kunai on his pants on a mission, they were completely shredded! He had to wrap his jacket around his waist for that mission!

Gyuki sighs. '**No wonder the technique used so much Chakra; he wanted a cloak that did much more than even the Tools… maybe the fireproof comes from him wanting it to be warm? Or from Itachi, he was fond of fire… Whatever the three people he thought of, some power Naruto associates with them will be bonded to this cloak… Gods, I hope he doesn't lose it.** Kurama roars in laughter.

'**Oh, he'll lose it Gyuki! In fact, he might even give it away to someone on the street!'**

Gyuki freezes in fear. '**We can't let that happen.'** Kurama stops laughing.

'**Just don't tell him, the brat won't lose it if he doesn't think it matters. He only loses things he tries not to lose.'** Gyuki looks at Kurama dubiously.

'**That... doesn't reassure me.' **he groans, getting pats on the back from some of the other Tailed Beasts.

While this conversation is happening, Naruto's answering Ruby.

"Well, that cloak's special. I made it from some really tough material! I met this guy who could make things out of his Aura, and he made that cloak for me. Actually, that's a good point; it's a cloak, not a robe. It goes over my normal clothes, instead of being my normal clothes." Ruby nods wisely, making a note of the distinction, while Yang looks exasperated at another cloak fanatic being found out.

"You were saying about that Torchwick guy, Rubes?" Yang prompts, curious. "That can't be it, you didn't wait just to say you found a new friend."

Ruby nods happily. "Yeah! After that, Naruto fought Torchwick, dodging all his flares! It was amazing, he was as fast as Uncle Qrow! Anyways, Naruto got hit by a barrage of flares, sending him into an adjacent building. Then Torchwick ran up a building, and I chases him."

Taiyang disapproved. "You just left Naruto there, knowing that he might be injured?" he glances at Naruto. "I'm sorry that she left you there, but it looks like you're alright."

Naruto nods, smiling. "It's fine! She sent the old guy to check on me, so don't blame her! She did her duty!"

"Good. Now, continue dear. You said you were chasing Torchwick up onto the roof?"

Ruby nods, enthused beyond belief. "Yeah! Then, when I got to the top, I saw him running away along the rooftop, so I told him to stop-" Yang interrupts, a beatific smile on her face.

"You told a criminal to stop running away? Rubes, that's like telling your opponent to stop dodging in a fight! They won't do it!" she cries out, slamming her hand on the table in laughter.

"I know that noooww, Yang!" Ruby pouts, before continuing her story. "Anyways, right when I thought I had him, a Bullhead came up from behind the building! It had a door open, and he climbed inside. Then some metal things hit him in the back, although they didn't do anything because of his Aura. Actually, Naruto, were those the kunai you told me about?" she asks.

"Yes, they were. Although I also used shuriken, which are primarily designed for throwing, and better at it." he replies, "But c'mon Ruby, tell them the rest!" he urges.

"Yeah, so Naruto attacked him, and then he yelled something into the Bullhead as he started firing more flares at us, when a Huntress blocked them all!"

Taiyang is relieved. "Oh, a Huntress arrived. That's good, so they took out Torchwick?"

Ruby shakes her head in the negative. "No, that's when Torchwick's partner came out." she ends solemnly. Naruto frowns, crossing his hands in front of his face.

'While her powers were not particularly noteworthy, she was more powerful than Torchwick.' he muses as Ruby explains how she bombarded them with fireballs, and how Naruto had stopped them all with some water opposite of them! She continues, reaching the part where the stranger shot a lightning bolt at them.

"And then the weird lady shot a lightning bolt at us! It was insane! It was like she had multiple Semblances…" she trails off musingly.

Taiyang's face reflects his fear. 'Oh shit. They fought either an extremely adept user of Dust, on the same level as the Schnee, or they fought a Maiden… both of those are terrible options!' he thinks.

"Anyways, Naruto got me out of the way of the lightning, and then the Bullhead flew away in the distraction." Ruby concludes her Epic Tale, now standing on her chair, arms raised to the heavens. Then she totters, and falls. "Oof!"

Taiyang's more relieved now. "Thank you for saving my daughter, Naruto. If there's any way I can repay you, please let me know." he finishes, sincerely. Yang agrees, nodding.

'Welllll" Ruby says slyly, "You could give him a place to stay for a week." she suggests, causing Taiyang to look at Naruto.

"You don't have a place to stay? No, of course you don't… you said you lived in the woods. Well, if you'd like, you can stay here in Qrow's room until you find a place." he offers, still concerned about a boy sleeping in the same house as his baby girls.

"Why are you only staying a week? D'you think you'll be able to find a place in that timeframe? Unless you work your ass off, you won't be able to afford a place… and it takes a while to find a job here in Vale." she asks, worried.

"Nah, he'll be fine." Ruby blows off, "He's already got a place to stay, he just can't go there for a week..." she trails off, nervous.

"Where will you be going then, Naruto? And why can't you stay there now?" he questions, before reiterating. "Not that I don't want you around! But I'd assume a teenage boy would like to move into his own place?" he ends. 'If he's only staying here cause of Yang and Ruby, I'll break his legs.'

"Well Dad, after the fight we were taken by the Huntress, and then we met someone who offered to house Naruto… and myself."

'WHAT?!" Taiyang roars, outraged. "Who tried to take you away?!"

"Dad, Dad! You're overreacting! The Huntress took us to the police station, and we met Professor Ozpin there! He offered us both positions at Beacon!" she squeaks.

Taiyang calmed down, looking at them both. "Are you sure you want to go?" he asks. "You still have two years at Signal Academy, you aren't ready for Beacon yet."

Ruby huffs. "I can fight Yang, and she's going to Beacon!"

"But you can't beat Yang yet." Taiyang cautions, "Until you do, I don't feel comfortable sending you to Beacon. Maybe next year."

Naruto feels uncomfortable being in this conversation. On one hand, he thinks Ruby should be allowed to go, especially since she's been offered a position. On the other, he understands why Taiyang wanted her to stay: Sakura had complained vigorously about how overprotective her parents were on more than one occasion.

"Fine!" Ruby yelled, tears appearing in her eyes, "I won't go!" she leaves the table, and runs to her room. Silence fills the dining room.

"Well, Dad, I think that you should let her go." Yang starts. However, Taiyang shakes his head.

"I'm sorry Yang, but if she can't fight you on an equal level, then she's not ready for Beacon. Give her some time, then she can go." Naruto fidgets, and strains to not speak. Taiyang notices however, and asks if he has anything to say.

"Well, you're saying that Ruby can't beat Yang, so she can't go to Beacon. What if she beat Yang before the week was up?" he suggests.

Yang muses, considering. 'If I throw the match, then Ruby could go to Beacon… that way she won't be upset. It's a good idea!' She makes her support for the idea known.

"That's a great idea, Dad!"

Taiyang considers, before speaking. "You aren't wrong… Fine. If Ruby can defeat Yang before Initiation, then I'll let her go. Yang, go tell Ruby about this." Yang nods, and leaves Naruto and Taiyang together. Taiyang looks at Naruto, before sighing.

"Kid, I get it. You want your friend to go to Beacon with you, but Ruby's two whole years behind Yang. She can't beat her, even if she trained from dawn till dusk every day. I'm afraid you'll be going on this journey alone." Naruto frowns.

"With respect, Mr. Xiao Long, I will be training Ruby during the week." Taiyang is shocked.

"What makes you think that I can't train her?" he growls.

"Other than the fact that I don't want you to sabotage her to make her stay, I also can tell you're a hand to hand combatant, like Yang. Ruby isn't, and your training method wouldn't help her. Unless you got her Uncle here, she won't improve. So I'll be teaching her some things before the week is done." Naruto declares. "And if I can't get her on Yang's level before the week is up, then I won't go to Beacon. I'll teach her until no one can say she can't go!"

Taiyang is shocked, before he smiles. "Good luck then." Naruto reciprocates his smile.

"I won't need it."

_The Next Day_

Ruby rushes out from her house, scythe in hand, and ready to train. She's got less than a week to train and beat Yang, and she's gonna start now! Before she can move across the yard however, a shadow looms in front of her. Turning, she sees Naruto sitting on the roof, looking at her. With a backflip, he leaps from the house, landing in front of her, the wind moving his cloak slowly.

"Yo, you won't believe what I found in your Uncle's room-" he says, greeting her.

"No time to talk Naruto, I've gotta go practice to beat Yang!" she says urgently.

"I know. I suggested the idea, and I'm gonna help you." he replies, crossing his arms.

"What do you mean?" she asks, distractedly. "You're… gonna teach me stuff?"

"Yep!" he says proudly, popping the p.

"No offense," she questions, "But what can you teach me? You're strong, but you seemed to be a Semblance based fighter."

Naruto smiles proudly, puffing out his chest. "I've only taught one person before you. They ended up defeating the… body, of an S-Class Huntsman."

Ruby's shocked. "So… what did you teach this person?"

Naruto ruffles her hair. "How to manipulate their energy… their Aura, into this!" he holds out his hand, and concentrating, is shocked when a green Rasengan appears in his hand.

'Why's it green? Usually they're blue…" he thinks to himself.

Ruby is also shocked. "You mean… that's pure Aura Manipulation?!" she cries.

"Yes!" Naruto smiles. "And I think you could learn it too!"

Ruby is stunned, before smiling brilliantly. "Well, what does it do? I mean, it's pretty, but is it an attack, a defensive technique, or something that's going to boost my Aura Control?"

Naruto considers. Since he inherited the Sage's inherent knowledge of Chakra, he knew how to teach the Rasengan to someone without half of their own Chakra, even though it wouldn't be as strong, they should be able to. "Well, it will increase how well you can control your Aura, but this is what it's primarily designed for." He walks over to a large boulder, before turning. "Is this rock important for anything?" he asks, sheepishly.

Ruby shakes her head in the negative, and Naruto turns. He reaches back, smashing the Rasengan into the boulder, almost completely eviscerating it.

'That… was a lot more powerful than normal. What's going on?' he thinks, before creating a Shadow Clone in the debris where Ruby couldn't see it.

"Go find out what's going on." the clone nods, before flickering away.

Naruto leaves the dust cloud, and sees Ruby staring at him in awe.

"That's what I hope you can learn. Of course, you won't master it before the week is over, so we'll also be studying something I doubt you've learned, considering how you fought last night."

Ruby looks at him with eager eyes. "What? What?!" she squeals, excited.

Naruto smirks, raising a single finger. "Deception!" he declares proudly.

Ruby tumbles over, before rising up. "What? Why would I need to learn to lie? Lying's wrong!"

Naruto bops her head. "You fool!" 'Heh, this is kinda fun!' "I mean deceiving your opponent in combat! Now come on, I don't want Yang watching you train and thinking of ways to fight."

Ruby follows Naruto into the woods, a little skip in her step.

She's gonna win.

She's going to Beacon.

And not even the Gods will be able to stop her.

_After 5 Days of Training_

Naruto gazed at Ruby as she ran around the clearing. He didn't want to train her speed much, because she already had that covered, but it helped boost her confidence.

'And the Sage knows that everyone needs a confidence booster in training.'

As Ruby ground to a halt, Naruto sighed, her face becoming downcast.

"Ruby, you need to be able to stop immediately, not slow down before stopping. Otherwise you can't use your Semblance in active combat, just as an escape." he admonished.

"Yeah, I know, but it's just so hard to stop moving!" she protests, raising her arms. "Now, let's try again!"

Naruto looks up at the sun. "Bad idea, you have your match with Yang in a couple hours. Better get some rest, or at least eat something. It's bad to fight on an empty stomach."

Ruby nods, then looks at Naruto hopefully. "Cookies?" she asks, engaging the dreaded Puppy Dog Eyes Jutsu!

Naruto flinches, before acquiescing. "Fine. We'll get some cookies, but you're also going to eat some power bars first."

Ruby groans. The power bars were so gross! They weren't actually power bars, they were a type of Food Pill that Gyuki knew about from the Hidden Cloud. It turned out being the Tailed Beast inside the Raikage's brother lead to him learning some useful things!

They both walk back to the house. Naruto looks at Ruby, full of pride. While it wasn't the first time he taught a student, he felt that Konohamaru was less a student and more of a boy he taught a cool trick to. Ruby, on the other hand, he'd taught more than a single Jutsu. He'd taught her how to fight like a Shinobi, which would serve her greatly in the fights against people. Not so well on Grimm, but hey, they sucked anyways.

As they approached the house, they saw Yang stretching in front. She turned, waving at them.

"Hey guys! How's it going?!" she called out.

"Pretty good!" Naruto replied, gratefully. They'd let him stay here for a couple of days, which he was super grateful for. While he could have easily lived out in the woods, living with people was always nicer.

"Great sis! Soon I'll beat you!" Ruby cried proudly, pointing imperiously at Yang, who feigned fear.

"Oh my! Such ferocity! I'm doooooomed!" she wailed, falling to her knees. "I can't stand before such martial prowess!" Naruto squinted, looking at Yang closely.

'It almost seems as though she wants to…' his eyes widened slightly, as he glanced at Ruby. 'Of course. Let's just see how this goes…'

Ruby smiled brightly hugging Yang, who notices the change in Ruby's wardrobe. Instead of wearing extra sniper rounds on her belt, she now had three round-ish pouches. The pouches were black, with red highlights that matched the rest of her gear. She was also wearing something on her forehead, but Yang couldn't quite make out what it was under Ruby's hair.

Yang rubbed Ruby's head, before pushing her away.

"Hey Rubes, why don't we have the match now? Then we can back our bags for Beacon!" she suggests, winking.

Ruby smiles, and nods. "Get Dad? I… want to thank Naruto."

Yang grins. "Sure." she heads up into the house, yelling boisterously.

Ruby turns towards Naruto, who's looking up at the sun.

"Hey, Naruto?"

"Hmmm?" he turns, looking at her, the sun framing his head.

"Thanks for teaching me. I'm way tougher than I was before, and it's all thanks to you. I'd… like to pay you back."

Naruto shakes his head. "Nah, you guys gave me a place to stay. It was the least I could do."

"Still, when we have time, I'd like to help you build a weapon for yourself."

Naruto's eyes widen imperceptibly. 'Oh. Do I really need one? Meh, better to conserve my Jutsu. At the very least, it'll mislead people into thinking I'm a weapons based fighter.'

"Thanks Ruby! I'll take you up on that at Beacon!" he beams.

Ruby nearly glows with the praise. 'He… really believes I can beat Yang. I won't let him down!' They both hear steps leaving the house, and see Yang walking out, confused. She approaches them.

"Dad said to give him a few minutes to get ready." Ruby shrugs, nodding. Naruto however, frowns, with Yang catching it. She looks at him, and scowls back. She nods, scowling as well. Naruto sighs, reaching behind his head.

'Well, what can you do?' After a few minutes, they hear heavy stomping coming from the house, before Taiyang comes out. But he's in full battle garb, however it appears that he doesn't have a weapon on him.

Naruto glares at Taiyang as Ruby calls out to him.

"Hey Dad, why're you in your combat gear? You going somewhere? Ohhh, are Yang and I fighting away from the house?" Taiyang shakes his head as he crosses the yard.

"Sorry, dear, but you aren't fighting Yang." Ruby tenses. "You… will be fighting me."

**Author's****Note::**

Well, how is it? I think it was pretty obvious, but hey, I'm new at this. Sue me.

Please review plot guesses! If you get it right, I'll PM you a tidbit of information you might want!

-Pad


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 5: A Battle for the Future**

Ruby watched as Taiyang slowly prowled towards her, his arms up in his familiar sparring style. She glanced towards Naruto, eyes wide.

"C'mon, Ruby!" Yang cried out, glaring at her father. 'Damn, he really doesn't want her going to Beacon! Asshole!'

Naruto closed his eyes, leaning back. Ruby turned back to her father, tears beginning to appear.

'He's… given up on me.' she thought to herself, letting her arms fall. Yang, seeing this, turns to Naruto.

"Hey! Why aren't you cheering her on?! Don't you want her to go to Beacon with us?!" Yang snarls, grabbing Naruto's cloak hem.

Naruto opens his eyes, and shakes his head. "No! You don't get it, I know Ruby can do this. I know for a fact that she can win."

Yang is sceptical. "This… this is my DAD. I've never beaten him before, at least in a straight fight. And he fought with Uncle Qrow for years, so he knows Ruby's style inside and out!"

Naruto smiles smugly. "Ah, but I've taught her this past week. Trust me, she's got some tricks up her sleeve. It took some work, but I got her the necessary gear."

"What gear?" Yang asks, "Did you get her some Dust for her weapon?"

Naruto waves his hand dismissively. "If there's one thing I've learned as a Shinobi, it's that you must employ the Rule of Four."

"What's the Rule of Four? And what's a Shinobi?"

"A Shinobi… I'll explain that later. However, the Rule of Four is quite simple. Deception, Shock, Awe and Fear can change a battle entirely, even more so than raw power. What flashy techniques you use matters less than the history behind each one, and what you using them represents."

Yang is confused. "So… you taught her some historical combat technique?"

"No. I instructed her in the use of two of the Four. I taught her Deception and Fear. Although I doubt she can scare her father since she's his daughter, she can definitely deceive him."

Yang turns back to Ruby, seeing her frozen against Taiyang, who hasn't moved closer to her.

Taiyang frowns. "Ruby, do you really want to go to Beacon? If you can't even work up the nerve to fight me, then you definitely need more time." he comments, drawing a glare from Yang. Naruto, hearing this, calls out.

"Ruby!" she glances at him. "Don't keep me waiting, I wanna go get lunch!"

Ruby smiles brightly, and turning towards Taiyang, takes out her scythe. To Yang, she may as well have been a lightning bolt for all that she could see. A flash of red, and Ruby's crouching behind Taiyang, her Crescent Rose already slicing downwards, a veritable mountain of force behind it. Taiyang turns with wide eyes.

'Her Semblance? So soon? I thought I taught her better than to rely on it…' he grumbles mentally, as he prepares to grab the shaft supporting Crescent Rose. With a flicker only picked up after the fact, Ruby's hand flies at Taiyang's face. With a groan, he's lifted off his feet and sent careening through the air, before he touches down a solid thirty meters from Ruby, who's smiling grimly.

"Holy shit!" Yang cries, seeing Ruby punch almost as hard as her. "Since when could Rubes punch like that?!"

Naruto answers. "She's channeling Aura into her fist, then releasing it right when she impacts her target. The Aura flows through the target, blasting it with extreme force." he thinks back to the last time he saw this technique. 'Sakura… while Ruby's nowhere near as good as you at this technique, since she has half of her Chakra, she knows how to use it like a Shinobi.'

"Huh? That sounds like really advanced Aura Manipulation. Did you teach her that?"

"Well, I tried teaching her a different technique, but it was… too difficult for her. She might be able to do it someday, but for now she can do this. However, it comes at a cost."

"What cost? Seems great to me!"

Naruto frowns. "Check her Aura." he commands.

Yang flips out her scroll, flipping to Ruby's Aura. It's down twenty percent!

"Oh. So this ability drains a lot of Aura to use, huh."

"Yes. I told her only to use this a maximum of three times in a battle, and only if she needs to. Otherwise, she'll exhaust her Aura."

Yang nods, returning her attention to the fight.

Taiyang brushes himself off, looking shocked at Ruby's strength. He calls out to her, smiling.

"Well, I must admit I didn't see that coming. Although, you still didn't manage to land a hit with your scythe, so it seems like it was a waste." he sighs sadly, disappointed with Ruby's attack.

'Heh, he doesn't know I didn't mean to hit him with that. Now that I've hit him though, I can use the other thing Naruto taught me…' Ruby smiles wider, before reaching into one of her new pouches. Taiyang looks on in interest.

"Gonna bring out the Dust, huh? Well, time to get serious." he comments, flaring his Aura in a burst of green-tinged yellow. Ruby smiles again, before pulling her hand from her pouch. In it are nestled two small yellow-brown paper balls. With a flick, she tosses them on the ground and purple smoke fills the field.

"What the hell?! Why's Ruby done that?!" Yang roars.

"So that Mr. Xiao Long can't see her…" Naruto replies, already smiling beatifically.

"Yeah, but she can't see him!"

Naruto smirks. "I taught her something that I only recently learned; it's called the Chakra Marking Jutsu, but you can just say that it locks onto someone's Aura, and lets you sense them when they're within one hundred meters of you." he whispers to Yang.

Yang's eyes widen as she looks into the smoke. 'That means…'

Taiyang was confused. He had no idea Ruby could be so sneaky, but this strategy was childish. It merely forced them into a stalemate. He couldn't get to her, but she couldn't find him. It was infuriating to him that Naruto would waste a week teaching her how to tie!

With a growl, he started walking through the smoke. He'd reach the edge very quickly.

He suddenly feels a powerful force impact his chest, with a thunderous crack soons following. Thankfully, his Aura protected him, but he felt himself fall backwards. With a growl, he looked around, but was still unable to see anything.

'That was Ruby's sniper… but where is she? And how can she see me?' he thinks, looking around. With a grunt, he leaps into the air, hoping to clear the smoke. As he rises however, he begins to feel lightheaded. With a small grunt, he begins to sink back down, crashing into the ground.

'Crap, what was that? I… feel so weak.' Again, he hears to crack of Ruby's sniper, and he feels the bullet smash into his ribcage, which his Aura once more blocked. He moans, dragging out his scroll.

He's at thirty four percent of his Aura. He glances down at Ruby, who's still sitting pretty at seventy five percent, more than double his own. However, as he looks at his scroll, he notices that his Aura is being depleted.

'What? Why's my Aura being depleted? Unless…' he glances around, and opening his mouth, tastes the smoke. Immediately, his Aura plummets five percent.

'Damn, it's poison. No wonder my Aura's so low. Can't breathe it in, it's weakening me and draining my Aura.'

With wide eyes, he covers his mouth, charging out in the smoke.

CRACK! The sound of the sniper echoes throughout the poison cloud, knocking him forwards. Taiyang barely catches himself, looking at his scroll.

'Gods dammit! My Aura dropped ten percent just from that! I'll be in the red soon!'

_With Naruto and Yang..._

"Soooo… Ruby's shooting Dad, and he can't see her?" Yang questions, hearing the sound of her sisters sniper firing shot after shot.

"Yeah, and each shot drains his Aura. I guess since you aren't fighting, I can tell you. The smokescreen is actually an anesthetic which puts people who inhale it to sleep. Since Mr. Xiao Long's been in there for more than a minute, he'll either have fallen asleep, or his Aura will be trying to heal him. Problem is, each shot from Ruby's sniper makes his Aura stop healing him, and prioritizes stopping the bullet, which makes him more sleepy, and drains his Aura even more." Naruto explains, amusement ringing in his voice.

Yang looks down at the now revealed poisonous cloud. "Really? Wow, that's devious. That would have definitely beaten me…" she says.

"Take a look at your Dad's Aura." Naruto recommends, after hearing another sniper round going off. Yang heeds his suggestion, looking at her scroll.

"Hot DAMN! Dad's at twelve percent now!" she exclaims, "That knocks him out according to Tournament Rules!"

Naruto nods grimly. "Yes, but he never said what the rules were before starting this fight."

Yang catches on. "He thought he could win without determining the point." she realizes, growling slightly. 'That idiot.'

"Yeah. If Ruby were to stop now, he'd come out and say to keep fighting. It's better for him to have no excuses for why he lost, and no reason to stop her. If she fought him in the open, he'd complain about something, even though she's clearly won."

Yang nods, looking back at the cloud. "So? What should we do?"

Naruto smiles. "One more round from Crescent Rose will knock his Aura down to around one percent. Ruby's checking her scroll after every shot, I told her to. She'll not shoot him then, she'll just wait for the poison to knock him out.

Sure enough, another round echoes through the forest, and then a few seconds later Ruby blurs in front of them.

"Well," she says hoarsely, "Dad's at less than one percent of his Aura. The cloud should stop him now."

_With Taiyang…_

He felt that last shot destroy most of his remaining Aura. Checking his scroll, he saw that he was at one percent of his full Aura capacity.

'Well, that's unfortunate.' he thinks sourly, before looking around deep in thought. 'Wait a minute… what if…' Opening his mouth, he shouts out.

"QROW! I know you're out there you bastard! Get out of here! I don't need you interfering with this!" he bellows angrily, inhaling a large amount of smoke, which sends him tumbling to the ground.

'Crap.' was his last thought, before darkness took him.

_In the House…_

Taiyang groaned as he came to. "What… the hell?"

"Hey Dad!" a cheerful voice greets him. Looking over his shoulder, he gazes at Yang, who's sitting on the couch across from him.

"How ya doing?" she asks, smiling brighty. Taiyang thinks.

"I feel like I've run to Vacuo and back… Gods, what happened?" he demands.

"Well, you got clobbered by Rubes!" Yang smiles benignly, crossing her arms. "You deserved it too, Dad. Changing the rules at the last minute? Not cool."

Taiyang hangs his head. "I… just don't want Ruby out there. Not yet. She's not ready, she's still too young!" he ends shouting, his eyes wild and full of fear.

Yang is shocked. "Is this… about mum?" she asks carefully as Taiyang buries his head in his hands.'

"Summer… was the strongest person I knew. She was kind, wise, and a hero. But she went out there, and she never came back. I won't let Ruby go as well."

"Why would you let me then?" Yang demands, reaching towards him, "Is it because I'm older, like you said, or because my mom's not dead?"

Taiyang looks up at Yang, his eyes moist with unshed tears. "Raven… was powerful, unimaginably so. But she was broken inside, like a broken sword. She was rigid, unbending, and in the end she snapped. You are different. When I look at you, I don't see her anymore. You're just like me." he finishes sadly.

Yang thinks for a few seconds. "You're… afraid Ruby's too much like mum, aren't you? You think she'll try and be a hero, and die. You think I'll run, like Raven!" she starts crying, only for Taiyang to grab her arm, pulling her down, and looking directly into her eyes with a fire she's never seen.

"You are not like Raven! I just said you're like me, that's why I know you'll be alright." he explains.

"W-what?" Yang sniffles.

Taiyang smiles, rubbing her eyes. "You won't ever leave your team. Raven left, and Qrow went after her and on secret missions. I had to take care of you, and then Ruby, and Summer supported this family with Huntress missions on her own. What I mean is, everyone on my team left their family, at least for a little bit, and fought. And Raven has become a bandit leader who's tribe murders villagers, and pillages across Mistral. Summer died, and Qrow… well, you know about him."

Yang nods sadly. She and Ruby had always wondered how amazing their Uncle would be sober. If he was on their Dad's level drunk, imagining him sober was terrifying!

"Anyways," Taiyang continues, "As long as you stay with your team, you'll be fine. People who leave, and go off on quests and goals of their own, always end up losing in the end. That's why I can't let Ruby leave, not until she knows that she can't always be the hero."

Yang looks at him, and right before she can agree, a voice cuts in.

"That's stupid." They both swivel to see Naruto standing at the door, wearing his Akatsuki Cloak, with his Forehead Protector missing for some reason.

Naruto walks in, his arms crossed behind his back. "You should always strive to be a hero. It's not a normal person who can change the world, it takes thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of heroes working together. And even one single hero can bring them together." he concludes, standing at the base of the couch, looking down on Taiyang, who's struck by how inspiring Naruto looks framed with sunlight.

"Ruby won her bout despite all the odds, and dreams of changing the world. She wants to be a hero, and the only people who try to stop a hero are the villains. What you need to ask yourself, Mr. Xiao Long, is whether or not you're a villain, or a hero."

Taiyang looks over at Yang, who's enraptured by Naruto's speech. Looking back at Naruto, he answers…

**Author's Note::**

**Cliffhanger again! I didn't realize how easy it was to end a chapter like this!**

**Sorry for how short the chapter is, but exams are coming up and I won't update until February. Till then, have a nice month! Oh, the pairing has been decided (until I change my mind).**

**I'd like to thank the Wind Dragon Master for his great review! I'll try to incoroporate what you suggested!**

**Thanks to the Tigerof2000 for his compliments! I'd like to do challenges, but don't think anyone would write them, so I'll wait before trying that out. That said, if anyone wants some ideas I have, I can post em in the next AN if I get a review asking for them!**

**To Chronosign: … I mean, I hope this chapter clears that up for you? I didn't intend to write him that way…**

**ChunkyFunkyMunky: Don't worry, it's not possible. They can do exactly HALF of what a Shinobi can do. For example, they can only do shape manipulation. That's it. Nature manipulation comes from Semblances, from what I've decided. They can shape their Aura, but since it's hard to increase the amount you have, it's not worth doing things that drain a lot of it.**

**For Silence of Mind: I actually don't want to get to Beacon for a while. The reason the last chapter felt a bit rushed was probably because I was trying to get it out right after winter break ended, before school picked back up. Now I'll be doing smaller chapters until exams are done (hinting towards my Biggest Chapter Yet coming out on the 29th!)**

**Lastly, thanks to everyone for the encouragement! I always love reading a review that says they love my story, and that's what keeps me writing.**

**Happy New Year,**

**-Pad**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 6:** **With a Day to Spare**

"No. I'm sorry, but I can't let Ruby go to Beacon." Taiyang's words fall down upon the ears of Yang and Naruto. Naruto nods slightly, before turning and leaving. Yang glares at Taiyang furiously.

"You promised she could go if she won! Why the HELL are you breaking your promise now?!" she roars, slamming her hands on the table.

Taiyang turns to her, brow drawn in a scowl. "I just explained it to you! Ruby can't go, not yet! Besides, she didn't beat me in a fair fight! Poison is dishonourable, and bluntly, doesn't work on Grimm! That way of fighting only works on people!"

Yang stands furiously, eyes glowing a flaming red. "It doesn't matter, Dad. You told her if she won she could go to Beacon. If you're smart, you won't let her realize that her father's a coward, and a liar." Brushes past him, slamming the door behind her. Taiyang sighs, looking down at his lap.

"It's what's best. She can't go there, not yet."

Outside, Naruto has left the house, and sees Ruby still celebrating outside. He looks at her, her joy and passion, and sags in defeat.

'There's… nothing I can do. She's going to be crushed.' He feels a hand land on his shoulder, and with a small twist of his neck, he sees Yang behind him.

"What's up Yang?" he asks, defeat audible in his voice.

"I have a favour to ask of you." she says, eyes narrowing as she stares at him.

"What is it? I'm sorry, but it looks like my help didn't help Ruby. Why you think I can help you…" he trails off, looking at Ruby again. "She's going to be destroyed by this, you know. Her own father is trying to stop her from accomplishing her dream."

Yang nods shortly. "I know. That's why I want you to take Ruby to Beacon with you."

Naruto turns to her, eyes wide. "W-what? But don't you need Mr. Xiao Long's signature or something?" he asks, worried.

Yang speaks lowly, her eyes still glowing red. "No, all you need is her Guardian's signature. Fortunately, Dad's not her only Guardian. My Uncle Qrow is also her Guardian, at least after Mum died. Find him, and get his signature."

Naruto frowns. "Where would I find him? From what I gathered, he was on a mission."

Yang removes her hand from his shoulder, reaching into her pocket. "He told me where I could meet up with him to learn about my Mom before school started, tonight." she says, brusquely. "I want you to go meet him there. Here's a picture of him." she says, showing a picture on her scroll of a man who appears to be unconscious on their couch.

Naruto nods slowly. "Sure, I can try. But why don't you go do it?" he asks.

Yang smiles grimly, stowing away her scroll. "Someone needs to explain what happened to Ruby. I'll not explain what you're doing until you meet us at the Bullhead. I'll pack Ruby's bags, and tell her I want her to see me off."

"Won't your Dad go with you though?" Naruto asks, unsure how parental relationships work in this kind of situation.

"No. Both of us will be mad at him, he'll do what he always does. He'll hide at home until someone comes to help him." she says, disgusted. While her comment is unfair, Naruto decides to ignore it.

'Let her vent, keeping it bottled up will make her just like Sasuke.' he decides, before replying.

"Alright. I'll do it. I'll head to… where are you meeting?" he asks.

"We said we'd meet at a bar called the Thirsty Bird… I think it's near the docks." she answers, "I'll send you the location-"

Naruto smiles, "I don't have a scroll yet, remember? Don't worry, I'll head out now and search around. It'll be no problem."

Yang looks nervous. "OK, but hurry! I was supposed to meet him at midnight, and it's nearly six! It takes two hours for the boat to go from Patch to Vale, and it'll take time for you to find the place!"

Naruto scoffs. "Don't worry, I'll make it. Alright, good luck with Ruby. Please don't crush her." he advises, before jogging into the forest. Once out of Yang's sight, he bursts with golden Chakra, entering his Kurama Chakra Mode.

"Alright, Kurama! Vale's supposed to be nearly a hundred kilometer away! Let's see if I can get there in less than a minute!" he cries, aiming across the ocean towards the distant lights.

"**Yeah, woooo, go Naruto…"** Kurama grumbles, knowing Naruto's already capable of moving nearly three hundred thousand kilometers in a single second. Although, that was in his Six Paths Sage Mode, so it might be different in his Chakra Mode.

Naruto grins hearing Kurama, then blasts off the ground like a shooting star.

_Back with Ruby and Yang…_

Yang watches Naruto run at an impressive speed with a smile. It's nice to know that she has help with this. Turning to Ruby, her smile fades.

'Time to try and keep Ruby intact…' she dreads, before walking over to Ruby, who's now eagerly reassuring Zwei that she'll still have time to come and visit from Beacon.

"Hey sis? Need to talk to you for a minute." Yang interrupts, causing Ruby to look up at her.

"But I need to tell Zwei that I can still come visit! Or maybe he can come visit us!" she says cutely, nearly causing Yang to falter.

'Come on Yang, you need to do this. Wait, actually, I don't! I'll just say Dad needs to talk to her! Let him deal with this, it's his mess. I'll just clean it up afterwards!'

Yang kneels down beside Ruby, taking Zwei for cuddles. "Dad needs to talk to you, Ruby. It's about your fight." she says, trying to keep her anger out of her voice.

Ruby notices Yang's eyes flash red, and wisely decides not to comment. "Oh, OK! I can't wait to tell him about the other things I learned! Ohhh, when I go to Beacon I'm gonna be the best there! Well, besides Naruto… he's…" she trails off, before leaping to her feet.

"Be right back Zwei!" she calls, running into the house in a burst of rose petals.

Yang sighs, holding Zwei. "She's gonna need us Zwei. Hopefully, Dad will change his mind, but I'm glad that I got Naruto to get Uncle Qrow." She pets Zwei, and then a few minutes later hears a clatter from the house, before the door bursts open, with a red comet flashing out faster than she can see and into the woods. Looking up, Yang shrugs.

"Must have been the wind." she decides, before getting up and going into the house.

_In The Valean Docks…_

Naruto was pissed. He'd completely overshot Vale, and now people were talking about the shooting star that had passed earlier. On one hand, it was extraordinarily gratifying to hear people say that he was the most beautiful thing they'd ever seen, but on the other, he'd smacked into a SAGE DAMNED MOUNTAIN!

**"Naruto, just be glad you weren't in your Sage of Six Paths mode! If you had been, the entire continent would have been destroyed!"** Kurama reproves, glowering in Naruto's mind.

'OK, OK Kurama. No Six Paths Mode when travelling. And from now on, I'm gonna travel the old fashioned way. Hopefully no one notices that crater in the mountain...'

**"I wouldn't worry, brat. We left a Metal Style: Big Ball there. If anyone goes there, they'll think it was just a meteorite."** Kurama reminds him.

Grumbling, he wanders into an alley.

'At least it's easy to get in here… the Hiding Like a Mole Jutsu really is useful. Why wasn't it one of the Academy Jutsu?' he thinks, creating a group of Shadow Clones, which all Transform into inconspicuous looking people. Naruto looks at them, before nodding approvingly.

'Perfect, they're Townspeople.' he gestures with his head, and they wander out looking for this 'Thirsty Bird'. With a sigh, he starts exploring the docks.

'They've really gone beyond my own people.' he ponders, thinking about the Shinobi lifestyle. 'Does it help them keep peace, or do they use technology like the Shinobi of the past, craving it like Kekkei Genkai?'

He stops, turning towards the sea. 'On that note, I wonder if there's someone like Orochimaru in this world? Or someone like Danzo? Better keep my eyes open.' he decides, before looking at the sunset. It's so beautiful, he decides to activate his (no, Obito's) Sharingan, and observe it fall with perfect clarity.

'It turns out that perfect sight makes the sunset less beautiful. Huh.' he realizes, deactivating Obito's Sharingan. He sighs, remembering his last battle with Kaguya. At least he managed to land Kakashi and Sakura, he could only hope Sasuke survived his fall to the ground. His clone had also managed to heal Obito's eyes with his Sun Mark, right before it popped. Fortunately, he'd been right above one of the weird root things, so he assumed Obito had been all right, albeit probably shaken up.

Realizing he doesn't know the time, Naruto waylays a passerby after a while of watching the boats and the sunset.

"Excuse me, could you tell me the time?" he waves with a small smile, closing his eyes like his teacher was wont to.

"Oh, no problem young man! It's…" they fumble their scroll out of their bag, "Nearing Eight O'Clock."

"Thanks Miss!" Naruto beams, "Have a nice evening!" The lady smiles, and wishes him the same before wandering away. Naruto smiles brightly, looking around the docks at the pedestrians now. Honestly, he can see why Ozpin wanted him. If he's responsible for protecting this place, then Naruto would do all he could to help.

His eyes take on a steely glint however, when he sees some people in white uniforms talking to the lady who just helped him. While everyone else is ignoring it, he can sense the hostility rolling off of them, as well as seeing one of them grab at a small tail that he hadn't noticed when he spoke with her. Pushing off the railing, he moves to interject.

"Excuse me sirs, is everything all right?" he cuts in smoothly, noting that he's noticeably taller than all except the perceived leader of this little band, who's just slightly shorter than him. This man, who's dressed in a weird white uniform, glances at him distractedly, before looking again with a glare, letting go of the tail.

"What's it to you, animal?" he questions rudely, his grip on his… Naruto assumes it's a gun, tightens. Looking away from the man's hands and at his face, Naruto is shocked by the hatred there.

'OK, Naruto! You got this, just… try to not start a fight.' he muses, before looking at the leader's henchmen. 'They appear to hate me as well. I wonder why…'

The leader, at this point, has had enough of Naruto ignoring him, and grabs at the hem of the cloak. "Listen here beast, I don't know if you understand, but you need to go back to whatever zoo you crawled out of. We're busy here, so get lost." he commands, wrenching Naruto away. The only problem with that is that Naruto doesn't move.

'Really? I didn't even need to channel Chakra to my feet to avoid moving.' Naruto exclaims mentally, bemused. He decides to speak.

"I can understand you perfectly. Why are you bothering this nice lady? I'm sure if she did something it was an accident!" he decides to appeal to their logical side. Unfortunately, they seem even more annoyed now than before.

"What?! Are you trying to speak to me, dog?" the leader growls, shoving at Naruto with both his hands. Once more, Naruto doesn't move, and the man falls over on his rear, muddying his pristine white coat.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Naruto mumbles, reaching into his cloak, "Here, I think I have something that'll get the filth off…" he takes out a large metal water bottle with the Hidden Leaf insignia on it, and with a glare, pours it onto the spluttering man, soaking him to the bone. The rest of his henchmen reach to their belts, taking out some odd metal contraptions. Naruto decides that they're probably guns as well, and sighs. While he can easily dodge the bullets, once these jokes start shooting, the stray bullets might hit someone else. He stops joking, and lowers his arm, dropping the water bottle. He sighs, Sharingan spinning into existence..

The first bounce once the water bottle hits the floor: he's leapt behind three of the grunts, and squashed their guns with his fist.

Second bounce: he kicks in the back of their knees, just as they begin to widen their eyes.

Third bounce: he moves towards the final four, crouching below their extended arms and prodding the inside of two of their guns. Fortunately, all the safety switches look the same as the one on Crescent Rose.

On the fourth bounce, he sees a flash, and with a burst of Chakra, activates the Mangekyou, and uses Kamui on one of the bullets, before kicking the water bottle up to intercept the second. He then spins, kicking the guns out of the final twos hands and into the sea. Then he moves in front of the lady, who's fallen to the ground.

"Are you alright, Miss?" he asks, concerned. Her eyes are wide as she looks up at him, pushing away along the ground.

"No! Get away from me!" she cries. Naruto is floored, and looks around to see people looking at him with distrust, and open caution.

"But… they were…" he tries, confused. From behind, he hears a dry, hacking cough.

"Oh, you have no idea what you've done." he turns to see the leader, pushing himself up from the ground. "When we're through with you, you'll have nowhere to run, little dog."

Naruto looks at the leader in disdain. "I know exactly what I've done. I've helped someone in need." he says loudly, looking around at everyone on the docks. "Anyone here could have stepped in. You all saw the revolting display these _fine_ gentlemen were displaying, but you all did nothing."

Most of the crowd avert their eyes, shame clouding their faces. Others look at him in disgust, while a small number look at him with something else, something he hasn't seen before…

"The kid's right." he hears a gravelly voice say. Turning, he sees a man with a red cape on a barstool swivel, and face them. He glares at everyone.

"I heard what was going on, and so did all of us. But only this…" he takes a swig from his glass, "boy, this boy, did anything. And what he did was beat up some stinkin' Shnee buffoons!" he guffaws in hysterical laughter, before ceasing just as quickly. "They won't care. You know why? Cause they live there, up in the sky, and they don't care if any of us die. All we do is bleed and wilt, somebody... " he starts sinking backwards, a dazed and confused expression on his face. "Stupid quilt…" he mumbles, before passing out of his chair.

Everyone just stares at him, snoring on the cobblestones.

"Well." Naruto comments, amusement colouring his voice, "That was something." Most of the people around him laugh, and agree, with most going back to their business. Naruto turns back to the lady he was helping, only to see that she'd scurried off. He shrugs.

'Mah, you win some you lose some.' before strolling away. However, just when he's moved a couple meters, he stops and turns.

'No way, was that guy…' and he resumes walking, albeit in a different direction. He stops short of the man who expressed his vocal support. Looking down, he can't tell, but it looks like Ruby and Yang's Uncle Qrow. He hums in thought, before lifting the man up.

"C'mon, let's find that Bar you're supposed to be at." he says amusedly, carrying Qrow down the street.

Qrow shakes himself awake. 'What happened?' he wonders, gripping his head with one hand while the other fastens onto the table in front of him.

"Oh, you're awake!" he hears a voice say ridiculously loudly. Zipping his hand up, he grabs at the person's mouth.

"ShhhHHHhhhuhhh!" he groans, covering their face, "Don't talk so loud, where's my…" he starts to fumble with his scroll, before finally pulling it out. With a glance he sees that it's nearing eleven o'clock at night. With a grunt, he rises to his feet, staggering slightly.

"Well see ya, I've got places to be." he slurs, stumbling towards the door, which now seems a colossal hike away. The voice stops him.

"Oh, I know. That's why I brought you here." Turning to look at the young man, Qrow squints slightly.

"Tai?" he mumbles, before collecting himself. "No, you're too young. How'd you know I have a meeting?" he mumbles, grabbing onto a pillar with his free hand.

"Well, Yang sent me in her place." Naruto replies, standing. "And knock it off, I read your book in your room." Qrow is floored, before standing straight up.

"How do you know about that?" he asks dangerously, his hand moving towards his sword.

"I've been staying with Ruby and Yang for the past week, and they let me stay in your room. I really liked your book, I'm thinking about trying it out."

Qrow scoffs. "No one likes that book. They know I wrote it to be used on people, not Grimm."

Naruto waves his hand dismissively. "But still, you invented a whole new combat style! It's amazing!" he compliments, with Qrow slowly moving to sit down.

"Heh, yeah I guess it was." he chuckles, letting go of his sword. "I thought about teaching it to Ruby, but Tai woulda skinned me alive unless he knew what it was, which would defeat the purpose."

Naruto smiles, shaking his head in admiration. "Where you got the idea of the Fake Drunken Master combat style I'll never know. It's borderline genius!"

Qrow basks in the compliment, his hands not even close to his sword anymore. "You should've seen it when I used it at Beacon!" he chuckles again, "I swear, I thought ol' Oz was going to have a heart attack! He thought he had enrolled a complete loser!" he snorts, reaching into his vest and taking out a flask, causing Naruto to raise an eyebrow. Qrow notices, and responds to the silent question.

"Just cause I'm not drunk when I fight doesn't mean I'm not drunk at other times. See, you gotta keep your reputation as a drunk alive, which means failing the nightly sobriety tests they run outside. If I left here sober, they'd know." he winks, taking a long swig from his flask.

He hiccups. "That's not to say I don't get drunk, in fact it happens quite often…" he starts to think thoughtfully. "Actually, now that I think about it, I've probably fought more people drunk than sober… geez." he sighs, putting away the flask, before looking at Naruto seriously. "If you wear a mask for long enough, it becomes your real face. I may have started as a Fake Drunken Master, but now… let's just say that time wears you down, kid." he sighs, leaning over the table. Naruto looks down at him, and awkwardly pats his back. Qrow leans up, looking at Naruto.

"Anyways, why'd Yang send you? Thought she'd want to hear all about her mom herself." he questions, curious. Naruto shakes his head in the negative.

"Actually, Yang wanted me to do a favour for her, though to be honest I'd have done this anyways." Qrow's intrigued now.

"Oh? What did the little Firecracker want?" he asks, leaning back in his chair, careful to keep all the legs on the floor.

"Well, it's a long story." Qrow shrugs.

"I've got all night." With that affirmation, Naruto launches into the story, explaining the entire situation with Torchwick, and how Ozpin had invited both of them to Beacon. At that point Qrow had smiled proudly, but when Naruto got to the part about Taiyang refusing Ruby's entrance unless she won a fight against Yang he began to scowl.

When Naruto said he taught her some tricks, Qrow was interested, but didn't ask any questions. However, when the big fight came and Taiyang took over, Qrow leapt to his feet.

"That motherucker!" he growled, furious. "I'm gonna go tear him a new one!" he was about to leave when Naruto interrupted him.

"Sit down, there's more to tell!" Qrow growls, and sits, although he looks like he's about to leave at any moment. Naruto hurriedly explains Yang's request, which puts Qrow into a thinking posture.

"Hmmm. Let me get this straight: Tai told Ruby she can't go to Beacon, even though she beat him in their fight. This is contrary to what he previously promised, right?" Naruto nods affirmatively. "Alright, and Ozpin's the one who invited you both. Well in that case, I've only got one question." Naruto cocks his head inquisitively.

"What is it?" he asks.

"What's your relationship with my niece?" Qrow leans forwards, his head resting on his hands.

"Well, I'm one of her teachers; I've taught her some tricks, and I consider her a friend." Naruto answers, confused. Qrow barks out a short laugh.

"Just like Summer…" he shakes his head.

"..." Naruto sits quietly, not sure what to say. Eventually, Qrow stops brooding and looks up at him.

"Alright, I'll tell Oz that Ruby has my express permission to attend Beacon. She'll be welcome there." Naruto leaps to his feet and bows to Qrow.

"Thank you." he says, "Ruby will be overjoyed. Of course, we can't tell her until she's waiting at the Bullhead." Qrow nods shortly, before rising to his feet.

"Well, it was nice meeting you kid. Just try to keep your head down more, while I liked seeing you stick it to the Shnee workers, that'll earn you some enemies you can't afford to make." he warns, before walking out. Naruto sighs, before speaking to the empty seat.

"If you do what's easy instead of what's right, then the world will always be ruled by hatred." he intones, leaning back. He sighs, before looking at where Qrow left.

'Might as well get some late night training in before heading back; Yang and Ruby are probably already asleep. With that, he gets to his feet and leaves the Thirsty Bird.

After walking out to the docks, Naruto jumps into the ocean. 'Tailed Beast Art: Water Breathing Jutsu.' With that, he starts to swim through the ocean, noting how his cloak seems to be keeping him warm. 'Guess Gyuki was right, I made a new Sage Tool.' he thinks, swimming along the seabed. Once he gets to Patch, he leaps out into the forest.

"Time to train!" he declares, filled with determination. With training in mind, he sits down, thinking.

'What should I train though? Hmmmmm.' he muses, before Shukaku decides to advise him.

"**Naruto, you should train with the Sharingan. While you can use it passably, you still haven't tried using the full powers of the Kamui."** Shukaku recommends.

"Good idea, Shukaku! Let's try… teleporting to Yang, or Ruby!" he decides, swirling his eyes into the Mangekyou. With a small application of Chakra, he swirls away.

Reappearing in the Kamui dimension, the first thing he notices is that he's falling. With a scream, he flares his Chakra, entering his Six Paths Sage Mode, and starts to levitate.

"What the HELL?! Where's the Time-Space?" he yells, looking around. All he can see is a fine grey dust, which seems to be floating about very slowly.

"**Hmmm. The Tailed Beast Bomb must've done more damage than we thought, it seems that the dimension's original structure has been completely destroyed."** Son Goku comments, looking through Naruto's eyes.

"Damn. What can we use this for then?" Naruto demands. Shukaku's the one who answers him.

"**Well, we can use my Sand control to try and move all this dust around, and remake the ground."** he theorizes, with some of his brethren agreeing with him.

"Alright then." Naruto holds out his hand, causing the dust to swirl into a vaguely cube shaped structure. 'This time, I'll make one big cube, so that no one falls between them.' he decides, moving all the dust away. However, as he does so he sees a single cube still floating, which seems to have been completely untouched by the explosion.

"**That's not possible."** Kurama growls, "**The blast should've destroyed everything. How did that cube survive?!"**

"Maybe… it was blocked behind other cubes?" Naruto suggests weakly, unsure. Kurama snarls that that's not likely, all the other cubes were destroyed even if they were protected.

"**Go check it out, Naruto."** he commands.

Naruto nods and releases the dust, then flies over towards it. He hadn't realized how large Obito's Time-Space was, the cube was more than a couple kilometers away from him. He frowns.

'It's so large…' he thinks to himself, wondering how come he'd never noticed. 'Must be because of all the cubes, they probably blocked my sight.'

Nearing the final cube, he notices some black lines covering the corners.

"Are those… seals?" he questions, moving closer to take a closer look. However, when he does so, the seals light up, with a red barrier appearing around the cube.

"Huh."

"**The Uchiha must have placed a Barrier Style Jutsu on this cube to keep it safe. But why? What's so important about it?"** Naruto floats above it, before pointing out a stout pillar with a seal on it.

"Must be because of that." he says.

"**Well, can you get to it?!"** Kurama growls.

Naruto thinks to himself, before answering. "Well, I could leave using the Kamui, then try to enter the Time-Space inside the barrier. Or I could break my way through."

"**If that barrier could withstand the Ten Tails Tailed Beast Bomb, then there's almost nothing you can throw at it that would break through."** Matatabi cautions.

"Alright, then I'll just use the Kamui." Naruto exits the dimension, reappearing in the woods, glowing brightly. With a curse, he deactivates his Six Paths Sage Mode before anyone can see the light from the town.

"That was close." he says, chuckling before using the Kamui again, this time aiming for inside the red barrier.

This time, he reappears inside the barrier. With a cheer, he leaps into the air. However, he notices a purple seal appear under him. He flares his Mangekyou, a light blue ribcage appearing around him.

'Is this… the Susano'o?' he wonders, glancing around himself. The seal flashes brightly, blinding him for a split second. Then, the air in front of him begins to distort in a very familiar pattern.

"What the hell?!" he cries, readying for a fight with a Rasengan forming in his hand, glowing a spectral green. However, what comes out surprises him greatly. It's a man who's wrapped up in golden chains, with a glowing red seal on his chest. Looking into his face, Naruto recognizes him nearly instantly, although he looks like complete hell, with sweat, dirt and bruises covering his even further mangled face.

"...Obito?"

**Wow. Bet ya didn't see that one coming!**

**Anyways, I've figured out why people like writing cliffhangers: they're easy. I can wrap this chapter up now, and no one will complain (cause I'll pull a Nora if they do).**

**Poll time! I've done the Pairing Spin the Wheel, moving me down to Three Possible Pairings! I'll put them on my profile, and you guys can vote. Here they are!**

**1) Naruto x Ruby**

**2) Naruto x Neo**

**3) Naruto x Ren (ha ha ha ha. Just kidding, it's really Naruto x Pyrrha)**

**Anyways, thanks for reading this far! Just know that whoever you vote for might not be the pairing forever (subtle foreshadowing, I know).**

**-Pad**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: A Cascade of Tears**

Yang rushed out from her house, furious. That seemed to be her default today. She'd thought that having Ruby talk to her father would be better than telling Ruby herself that she was being barred from Beacon. The only problem is that Ruby ran into the woods! She'd… messed up. It wasn't hard to admit, she thought as she ran between the trees, pursuing the trail of rose petals.

'If I'd just talked to her myself, instead of trying to get Dad in trouble, none of this would've happened!' her eyes flash red, and her hair glows a bright yellow. She flies through the trees, leaping over some, smashing through others. She scowls as she sees the petals take a sharp turn.

'That leads deep into the Grimm infested woods!' she thinks, trying to speed up. 'Hold on Rubes, I'm coming!'

No matter how hard she runs, she just can't speed up. However, after a few minutes of running, she finally reaches a small clearing. Sitting in the middle is a small figure, in a dirty red cloak.

"R-Ruby?" Yang says hesitantly. Ruby turns, tears pouring down her face.

"Y-Yang?" she sniffles, reaching a fist to her face and rubbing her eyes. "D-do you think…" she breaks off, crying. Yang rushes over, and engulfs her in her arms.

"It's OK, Ruby. I'm here." Ruby grabs onto Yang, sobbing.

"I, I just thought I'd finally made it, you know? I thought I was-" she pauses to sniffle, "I thought I was going to Beacon!" she cries, hugging herself into Yang.

"Shhh, It's OK Ruby… everything's gonna be alright." Yang soothes, stroking Ruby's hair, which had always calmed her down as a child. This time however, Ruby isn't calmed.

"No it isn't! If Dad won't let me go to Beacon now, what's going to make him let me go later?!" she moans, defeated.

Yang ponders. On one hand, she can tell Ruby the plan and cheer her up (hopefully), but on the other hand, Ruby needs to put on a convincing appearance to Taiyang.

'Ah, screw it. The bastard can't stop her from going, not if Uncle Qrow signed the forms.'

Yang tips Ruby's head up, looking into her eyes. "Ruby, after our father said you couldn't go, I had an idea."

Ruby looks into Yang's lap dejectedly. "What is it? How I can maybe go next year?" she responds bitterly. Yang shakes her head, her long hair swaying back and forth.

"No. I sent Naruto to find Uncle Qrow. He's gonna sign your forms to get you into Beacon." Yang explains, rubbing Ruby's back slowly. Ruby looks into Yang's face in stupefaction.

"Y-you mean… Uncle Qrow's going to let me go?" she asks hopefully. Yang nods. Ruby screams in delight, and wraps around Yang in an extremely tight hug.

"Ohhhh, thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU!" she squeals as Yang smiles proudly, before explaining further.

"Naruto's gonna meet us with the forms at the pier where we'll then catch a ferry to Vale. There we'll catch a Bullhead, and head to Beacon. You are going to pretend to be seeing me off, and I'll be angry at Dad, so he won't come. Of course, he'll call us when you don't come home. Hopefully Uncle Qrow fields that…" she trails off, slightly worried. Ruby doesn't notice, too busy hugging Yang, who pushes her away, gazing at her seriously.

"Ruby, you shouldn't let Dad know about this. If he found out, he wouldn't let you go with us to 'see us off'. He'd try to keep you at home." she says gravely. Ruby nods vigorously.

"I understand, Yang!" she says, "Ummm…"

"What is it?"

Ruby crosses her arms. "Did… you tell Naruto about how Uncle Qrow… kinda misbehaves?" Yang shrugs.

"Pffff, nah, it won't be a problem. Uncle Qrow's cool, and so's Naruto. Can't be that bad. Trust me, it won't be a problem."

Ruby nods, still unconvinced. "OK, Yang. If you say so." She kicks her feet bashfully, before looking up at Yang. "Thank you for helping me Yang."

Yang pats her head. "Anytime, little sis."

They sit together, hugging each other for what seems like an eternity. However, all good things must come to an end. With a sigh, Yang rises to her feet, dragging Ruby with her.

"Come on. With all the negativity you were radiating, there's probably Grimm swarming towards us. Did you bring Crescent Rose?" Ruby shakes her head.

Yang ponders quickly. "Alright, then we'll just need to make a run for it. Hopefully, the Grimm haven't already surrounded us." Ruby nods, before reaching into one of her pouches, taking out a kunai. While it wasn't particularly effective in her untrained hands, her swift speed would allow her to use it wisely. With that, they both climb up the trees and begin heading back home, with Ruby staying close to Yang for support.

* * *

_In the Kamui Dimension…_

"Obito?" Naruto repeated, stunned. "Is… is it really you?" he asks, tentatively reaching out his hand as though Obito would disappear. However, instead of responding, the crimson seal on Obito's chest flares, causing him to scream hoarsely, and smoke begins to curl up from his shaking shoulders. Naruto reacts swiftly, running through some quick handseals.

"Sealing Arts: Unseal!" he cries, slamming his palm onto Obito's chest. However, this technique has no effect. With a sigh, Naruto flexes his hand a few times, before muttering out his next jutsu as his hands blurred through handseals.

"Vapour Style: Wisdom Wolf Decay." As a haze of pink gas surges from his mouth, Obito's chest begins to disintegrate. As he screams himself hoarse, his throat sounding as though he's ripping it to shreds, Naruto struggles to help him.

"Don't worry Obito! It's almost done!" he cries, watching the seal being destroyed. Once it's entirely destroyed, he opens his mouth wide, releasing another jutsu.

'Tailed Beast Shockwave!' he mentally proclaims, watching the acid get dispersed away into the barrier. With a flash, he places his palm on Obito's chest, before a pulse emerges from his Sun Mark. Removing his palm, he sees a small white orb resting in Obito's ravaged chest, keeping him alive but not healing him. He sighs.

'Do any of you have any healing techniques?' he mentally asks.

"**While I don't have any healing techniques per se, you could share yours and mine Chakras with him, like what you did to the Shinobi Forces during the war. It should heal him quickly enough."** Kurama says.

Naruto nods, and with a small tap on Obito's head, enshrouds him in raging Red Chakra. In a matter of minutes, Obito had regrown all of his melted organs, and his chest. As Naruto watched him carefully, he thought about the seal he'd seen.

'That seal… it was the same one they put on me in Hozuki Castle. The one that burned you alive if you used your Chakra, or left the island. Even I couldn't use my Chakra outside of Sage Mode, how did Obito manage to use the Kamui?'

"**We'll ask him when he awakens. For now, we need to know what's happening in our home world. If Obito could make it here, then we might be able to get home."** Gyuki suggests, almost giddy at the thought of seeing Bee again.

'Yeah! We could!' Naruto exclaims, turning bright upon realizing this. Looking at Obito, he realizes that he doesn't look the same as when they last spoke. While last time Obito had been a mere shell of himself from during the war (physically, not mentally) now he appeared as a cracked shell. His White Zetsu arm had been torn off, his face was showing signs of torture, and he had numerous scars, which shouldn't have been possible while he still had Hashirama's cells; the regenerative properties would have healed him. That could only mean they'd either allowed Orochimaru at him… or they'd had Tsunade remove all traces of Hashirama's cells from him. Either way, even his face was more mangled than before. Whereas he'd previously looked like half his face had been melted, now he appeared as though he'd been flayed, repeatedly. Naruto could just make out some of his jawbone pushing out of a tear in his face, which looked infected and was making him a bit nauseous. A mighty rage filled Naruto's heart.

'After all he did to help, even going so far as to use the Art of Rinne Rebirth… they still bound him, tortured him, and destroyed him. Do I really want… to go back?' he thought, looking down at the remains of a once proud Shinobi. Even when acting as Madara, Obito had still remained proud. He bore his head high; now it looked as though his soul had been crushed.

After nearly an hour of thinking, Naruto notices Obito was beginning to move. Leaping to his feet, Naruto moves over to his side.

"Are you alright Obito?" he asks, concerned. Obito blinks blearily, gazing about with rheumy eyes. His gaze landed on Naruto, before widening imperceptibly.

"N-Naruto? Is… that you?" he whispers, his hand hovering up from the ground, reaching towards Naruto. "Have you… returned?" he asks, his voice filled with hope.

Naruto nods, and rests his hand on Obito's shoulder. "Yes, Obito. It's me, I'm alive." he soothed, nearly crushed at how hopeful Obito sounded.

"Then… where… were you?" Obito demands, confused. "Why didn't… you come back?"

"I fell out of structured Space-Time." Naruto responds, "I only recently made it out. Why, how long has passed in our Time-Space?" Obito frowns.

"I… don't know. When we returned we... managed to release the Infinite Tsukuyomi. I'd also managed to use the Art of Rinne Rebirth to bring everyone back before our battle with Kaguya… along with Madara, to my eternal shame. So-" he starts coughing, and Naruto quickly uses a small water jutsu to create some water for him to drink. Once he's drunk the water, he continues.

"The only casualty in the war… was you, and anyone who died from the Ten Tails' attacks that it sent across the continent."

Naruto smiles. "Well, that's OK Obito! You saved as many as you could." Obito sags.

"No Naruto, you're wrong. I was a monster, and asked the Kage to sentence me to life in prison in penance. They sent me to Hozuki Castle, where I was bound and sealed away. I also asked for weekly torture sessions from people who's families didn't get revived by the Rinne Tensei, in the hope that it would help them get over their loss, and as a punishment for myself. I… lost track of time in there. It feels like I was there forever. I had a prisoner number, you know." he chatters, nearly crazed. "They called me Prisoner 48655. Forty Eight Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty Five."

Naruo's confused. "But they have nowhere near that many prisoners!" he cries out, shocked. "When I was there they called me Prisoner 893! I was the Eight Hundred and Ninety Third person to be imprisoned there! Why did you get that number Obito? What signifigance does it have?! Were there more prisoners after the war?"

Obito shakes his head. "No, I chose designation myself. Naruto, that was how many people died during the war. More than half of the Shinobi from the Five Great Nations' United Forces died because of me. I chose that number so that I would never forgot how many people died because of my bad choices." Naruto was confused again.

"But you said you brought everyone you could back with the Rinne Rebirth! Weren't the casualties lower then?"

"Yes. But it doesn't change that I killed all those people. See, they even branded me with it." he turns, showing his back which has the number 48655 burned into his back, the skin cracked and torn, but not infected like the rest of his wounds. Likely the Shinobi Forces had a medic ensure that the number remained recognizable, Naruto concluded angrily.

"Obito, you may have hurt all those people, but in the end you saved the Shinobi World. You helped release the Infinite Tsukuyomi, you brought thousands back from the dead, and it was your Jutsu which defeated Kaguya. You even gave up your most prized possession, your eyes, for the sake of saving everyone." Obito gave a short laugh at this, prompting Naruto to glare at him.

"Hey! I was serious Obito! Don't make me beat you up again to drive it into your skull!"

Obito calms down, before looking at Naruto warmly. "Naruto, these eyes are not my most prized possession, nor were they ever. You and Kakashi both helped me see that you two, along with Rin, are the most precious things I could ever ask for." Naruto looks at Obito, stunned into silence.

"And, even if it kills me, I will bring you back to the Shinobi World." he declares, struggling to his feet. Standing tall, he smiles proudly. "I was nothing, no, worse than nothing, but you saved me. The least I can do is help save the world… one last time."

As he finishes, his eyes swirl into his Mangekyou Sharingan as his Kamui begins to tear apart Space-Time, before he collapses once more. Naruto's quick to catch him, lowering him to the ground. With a series of painful sounding coughs, Obito speaks again.

"I'm too low on Chakra to keep my Sharingan active…" he growls, slamming his fist into the floor. "Damn it, we're gonna need to wait for a bit, Naruto." Naruto nods, then smiles.

"Could you tell me what happened after I… died?" Obito grimaces, leaning back.

"Well, Kakashi became the Hokage, and-" Naruto interrupts.

"Kakashi-Sensei! Why the hell isn't Sasuke in charge?!" he yells, outraged. Obito yells back at him.

"Let me tell the story, Naruto!" he roars, "When I'm done, you can ask any questions."

He collects himself, before resuming. "But, you have a point. I better start this from the beginning, not just relay the… nicer facts. Well, I guess I'll start from after I presume Kaguya died."

* * *

_In the Forests on Patch…_

Ruby and Yang were starting to get worried. At first it hadn't been too bad, they'd fought a couple dozen Beowolves and one or two Ursa, but then the shit really hit the fan. They'd run into a Sphinx, which they didn't even know lived on Patch!

It had burst out of a particularly dense part of the forest, and with a growl, had fired a ball of fire at them! Ruby had managed to dodge it, but Yang took the brunt of the fire, knocking her Aura down into the red.

"Yang!" Ruby calls out, seeing her sister engulfed in orange flames. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she saw Yang fly backwards into a tree, the snapping sound echoing throughout the forest as she fell limp to the forest floor. "I got you!" she hollers, flashing over to Yang and picking her up. However, as she turns to make a run for it, she feels a clamping sensation on her leg. Looking down she sees a snow white head with glowing red eyes latched onto her leg. Fortunately, her Aura was protecting her.

"Ah! Get away you stupid Grimm!" she yells, swinging down with her kunai. Unfortunately, the kunai just bounces off of it's head, which starts dragging her towards the Sphinx, it's mouth gaping wide with crimson lights glowing within it's waiting maw. Looking at it, Ruby realizes that this new Grimm is just the Sphinx's tail! She frowns.

'If I drop Yang, this Grimm won't be able to get her. But then if I die, it'll get her no problem.' she strives to think of an answer, when her eyes widen.

'Grimm sense negativity, and can see. But if they couldn't see, and I wasn't afraid, they'd not be able to track me!' with that thought in mind, she drops Yang, wincing as she sees her sister land on the ground with a heavy thud. Turning back to the Sphinx, she takes a few deep breaths before dropping her smoke bomb. With a burst, a dark gray cloud bursts into being. Breathing steadily, she tries to calm down.

'Come on Ruby, just think of home, of Dad, of Yang!' she tells herself. However, all she can feel when thinking of her father is anger about how he was trying to stop her from going to Beacon. Shaking her head, she tries to think about Yang, but is soon overcome with worry about how she was unconscious on the forest floor.

"Damn it!" she cries out, tears welling in her eyes. 'It's not fair! Maybe Dad was right, maybe I can't be a Huntress…'

Suddenly, a memory pops in her head.

'_I sent Naruto to find Uncle Qrow. He's gonna sign your forms to get you into Beacon_!' she remembers Yang saying. Her eyes widen.

'That's right, Naruto believes in me. He's gone looking for Uncle Qrow, who also believes in me! I'm going to Beacon, they say I can, and they know more than anyone else I know!' her faces draws itself tight in determination, and she's filled with joy that everyone believes in her. 'Yang told Naruto about Uncle Qrow! I can't let her, or them, down!'

Her eyes fill with silver light, which flare out from her like twin breaking waves, flaring brighter than the moonlit sky. With an unearthly cry everything washes away, and the silver is replaced with darkness as Ruby falls to the ground.

* * *

With a groan, Yang cracked her eyelids open, glancing about the darkened clearing. Stretching her arms above her head, she pulls herself up, feeling her back creak and crack. Scratching her chin, she takes a look around.

"OK, why the hell am I sleeping out in the woods?" she muses, glancing behind her. "No Grimm, huh. Probably cause I was asleep. But… oh Gods my head!" she doubles over, vomiting on the ground.

After a series of dry hacking coughs, she leans back against a tree. "Ohh, now I remember! I was bringing Ruby back to the house!" she freezes. 'Where's Ruby?!'

With that thought in mind, she surges to her feet and begins the hunt for her sister, and after a few minutes of searching through the underbrush she finds Ruby lying beneath an odd gray rock which seems to look like a pillar, sticking out from the bushes before crossing over Ruby into some other bushes. Shrugging, she strains to lift the rock. Oddly, the rock appears too heavy for her to move!

"What the hell? This rock-" she strains, before giving up again, "is WAY too heavy! What's it made of? Maybe it's just attached to something else…" with that in mind, she plunges into one of the bushes, which immediately causes her to leave.

"No! Not getting twigs and leaves in my hair! Nuh uh! I'll just…" with that, her Semblance flares into existence, and she punches down on the strange rock, before it shatters into dust.

'Huh. That was easy.' she mentally exclaims, punching the rock on the other side of Ruby, before easily moving the piece lying on her. Looking down on her fallen sister, Yang's overcome with worry, and starts checking for vital signs.

'Come on Rubes!' she thinks frantically, checking her pulse on her small wrist. Not finding one, she takes Ruby's kunai, and puts the flat of the blade before her mouth. She sighs in relief when she sees condensation build on the blade.

'Probably just couldn't feel it, but Ruby's breathing. Need to go, now!' Yang slings Ruby over her shoulder, before running out into the woods, the unseeing eyes of the Sphinx lurking in the darkness, out of sight.

* * *

_Back at the House..._

Taiyang is fraught with worry. It'd been over four hours since Ruby had left the house, and Yang still hadn't come back, or used her scroll to call him. Steeling himself, he decides it's time to call for help. Fishing out his scroll from his vest pocket, he goes to his address book. Tapping on the picture of a boy in a skirt, he waits. After thirty strenuous seconds of waiting, his call is answered.

"_Whaddya want, Tai?"_ he hears a voice slur through the scroll, with some incoherent babble behind the voice. Frowning, he responds.

"Qrow, this is an emergency! Ruby and Yang went out to the forest hours ago! Neither of them have called me, and it's dark! Could you hurry over here and help me look for them?"

"_Tai, I'm busy busting my butt on top secret missions, missions that are more important than your 'girl troubles'! What makes you think I'd be able to help?!"_

Taiyang remains unmoved. "I saw your messages to Yang. You're in Vale right now, get over here!" he yells, furious at Qrow's lack of action.

"_Have you considered that there might be a reason they're out in the woods, and not calling you?"_ Qrow hints, a tinge of anger in his voice.

"No idea." Taiyang lies, not wanting to get into an argument with Qrow. "But either way, get over here. And you better not try telling Yang about where Raven is either! I was gonna stop her from going but she…" he pauses, "she didn't go on her own."

Qrow is silently furious, but holds his tongue. "_Fine. I'll search the Grimm infested woods, you check the Marginally Less Infested Woods. OK?"_

Taiyang is relieved. "Great. Meet at my house in… two hours. If we haven't found them, we'll contact the Patch Police Force." He can hear Qrow mulling over on the other line, before responding.

"_Want me to ask Ozzie for help?"_

"No!" Taiyang quickly rebuffs, "No, he's probably too busy for this."

"_Alright, be there in a flask._"

"Don't you mean a flash?"

"_That's what I said."_ Qrow abruptly hangs up, leaving Taiyang alone. He rushes into the front hall, throwing on his boots.

"No time to waste, gotta go!" he rushes out the door. The house rests in silence for a brief few minutes, with nothing making noise other than the crickets, before his scroll on the table begins to vibrate, shaking with almost palpable anxiety.

* * *

_In the Kamui Dimension…_

"So, after I… died, Sasuke tried to kill the Five Kage?" Naruto asks, dejectedly. Obito nods, his face sagging in sadness.

"Yes, and Sakura tried to stop him. Of course, she fell instantly to his Genjutsu. Kakashi implored to the Sage, who had summoned us back, to stop Sasuke. He, however, was not inclined to defeat what he called his son. You probably know more than I about that."

Naruto nods. "Sasuke and I were the reincarnations of Indra and Asura respectively. Indra was the older brother, who excelled and sought power." Obito makes a gagging face, remembering his youth, and how he was quite the dunce when it came to Ninjutsu.

"And Asura was the younger, who didn't really care about power, or achieving it. All he wanted was to help people. Anyways, long story short Old Man Six Paths left Ninshu in the hands of Asura, which pissed off Indra who started the Curse of Hatred over it." Obito nods, glad at the information, before continuing his story.

"Yeah, when the Sage said he wouldn't stop… Indra, Kakashi asked the revived Kage for aid. Unfortunately, the Sage dismissed them before they could help. Then, Kakashi went to fight Sasuke. Honestly, Sasuke just played with him. After nearly ten minutes of Sasuke just yanking Kakashi around, I'd recovered enough Chakra. I blasted him with the Kamui, sending him here." Naruto tenses, looking about warily.

"You mean… Sasuke's in here? With us?"

Obito shook his head. "No. Since Kaguya destroyed all the pieces of this Time-Space, he would have fallen down below. Into Liquid Space." Naruto quirks an eyebrow.

"Liquid Space?" he asks, grinning. Obito waves him off, embarrassed.

"Hey, that's just I called it when I first got here. Honestly, I tested it by sending a Shadow Clone down. It's memories never came back, so either the memories can't transfer between Realities, or my clone's still alive." he stops to ponder for a moment, before shaking the memories of that time off.

"So, that was that. Sasuke was banished away, Kakashi was nearly dead, and Sakura was unconscious. I was the only person even remotely close to being able to do something about the Infinite Tsukuyomi." Naruto leans forward, enraptured.

"But how did you release it? Kurama said that you'd need Sasuke!" he inquires curiously. Obito nods solemnly.

"Yes. We would have. So we did the only thing we could: I used the Reanimation Jutsu." he says, grinning slightly. Naruto however, was aghast.

"You what?!" he yells, "Who'd you bring back?! And who was sacrificed for this Jutsu?!" he demands.

Obito flinches, looking down. "It was the only way to break the illusion. I brought back someone… who did not entirely wish to be revived."

Naruto growls. "Who did you bring back, Obito? And who was sacrificed for them?!"

Obito looks up, pain covering his face. "I sacrificed Sakura." before Naruto can yell, Obito continues. "But she volunteered. Kakashi was going to, but… I couldn't kill my only remaining friend. And Sakura volunteered in his stead. She died a herioc Shinobi." he looks down at the ground, suffering evident in his posture.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. But we brought back someone who could help, and they did. Sakura was willing to make that sacrifice for the world. It would disrespect her sacrifice to demean it's significance. Honour her, mourn her, but don't scorn her."

Naruto rises, and turns away from Obito. "Did she… know she would die?" he asks, his voice wracked with pain.

"Yes. She knew. But at this time, she thought both you and Sasuke were dead; she said she had nothing left to live for." Obito says, keeping quiet about the fact that Sakura had only mentioned Sasuke being dead.

'Maybe she knew Naruto was still alive…' he thinks, hopeful.

"Well? Who did you bring back?" Naruto asks, his voice dead and cold as stone.

"We brought back Itachi Uchiha." Obito says, his voice curiously happy. "He then released Nagato from his seal, who had enough of the Sage's remaining Yin Chakra to end the Infinite Tsukuyomi." Naruto bowed his head, honouring the two Shinobi who saved the world even after their deaths.

"They… were great Shinobi." Naruto says, turning around. "And so was Sakura. So were you, and so was Kakashi-Sensei. And Sasuke…" he pauses, searching for the words before continuing, "Sasuke may have been a good person, once. He may have been a good brother. But in the end, he was a bad Shinobi, and a bad friend." his eyes tear up, and he falls to his knees, crying softly.

In an immense force of willpower, Obito lurches to his feet, and stumbles over to Naruto, giving him a hug, and whispering into his ear.

"Naruto, you might not know this, but you redeemed the teachings of the Sage. During the war you shared your Chakra with everyone. That was what the Sage intended. You recreated Ninshu, and now the whole world practices it in commemoration of you."

Naruto was stunned, and his back rigid as the full weight of what Obito said fell onto him. "You mean... I did it? I brought peace?" Obito flinches slightly, swaying like leaves in the wind as he falls backwards, sitting with his legs crossed.

"Well, you mostly did. There's still remnants of the old Shinobi system, but now the Villages work together on most missions. In fact, there's talk of abandoning the Feudal Lords, since they're no longer needed to keep the Villages afloat." Naruto nods, unsure about how the political games of the villages will work.

"Well, that seems alright..." he grunts, deciding that if Obito thought it was a good idea, it was probably OK. Obito agrees, and explains further.

"If the Villages become independent, they'll no longer be usable as a military by the Feudal Lords in their petty squabbles, like the Second Great Ninja War." he declares proudly, before leaning back lazily. "So, where did you end up?"

Naruto smiles, and with a deep breath, recounts his experiences after he left the Void.

* * *

Obito whistles as Naruto finishes, an bemused expression on his face.

"So, you've been tutoring this Ruby for the past week, huh?" he itones, impressed. Naruto bobs his head up and down furiously.

'Yeah! And she's picking up some stuff quickly! The only problem is that since she doesn't have the same energy we have, she'll never be able to perform Shinobi techniques like we do." Obito was perplexed.

"But I thought you said you could teach her things, and tought her the Rasengan?"

"Well, I thought that at first, but after some more thinking, I realized that with only half of your Chakra you'd never be able to do Shinobi Techniques. I could give her Chakra I think, but I'm gonna avoid doing that for now. Maybe in a decade!" he jokes, smiling. Obito however, frowns.

"But you said that the... weird black creatures, as you said, were composed of Yang Chakra. What if they learn Sealing Arts? Those don't require any Chakra, only activation energy. They could then seal the black things in themselves, and gain our powers." Naruto waves him off dismissively.

"Pffffff, please! Their whole society revolves around fighting these things, and they already know that they're composed of negative energy! Who in their right mind would combine themselves with these things?" Obito stares at him dully.

"Orochimaru." Naruto flinches.

"Aside from him. He's a creep." Obito laughs at Naruto's face, which has taken on a dinstinctly green tinge after thinking about Orochimaru.

"Fine, fine! For now, you can assume no one's sealing the creatures in themselves. Anyways, it doesn't matter. You'll be coming home soon."

Naruto ponders, his face scrunched in thought. Obito leans back, shocked. "You... don't mean to stay, do you?" Naruto sighs, hanging his head.

"Well, if what you said is true the Shinobi World is at peace. This one isn't, and people die by the thousands every day from what I've learned. They need me."

Obito shakes his head quickly, "Naruto, it's not your world! We need you! Your people need their hero back!"

Naruto blushes, scratching his cheek awkardly. "You mean that?"

"Yes! Naruto, we need to go back! Look, I think I've built up enough Chakra, lets try sending you home." Obito rises, pulling Naruto to his feet. With a flare of Chakra, he activates his spinning Mangekyou Sharingan. Naruto sighs, a tear sliding down his face as the Kamui begins to suck him in.

'Sorry, Ruby, Yang. I hope you can forgive me someday.'

Suddenly, a horrible pain blooms in his body. He grunts, trying to ignore it, but soon it becomes too much to bear. He feels his skin peeling back, a fire igniting beneath his flesh, and his bones feel like they're snapping into sawdust as his hair is ripped form his scalp, tearing flesh along with it. With a scream, he collapses to the ground, all the injuries non existent.

"AAARRRGGGHHH!" he howls, blood pooling from his mouth onto the cold gray floor. Obito halts his Kamui, and his eyes swirl back into the base Sharingan.

"Naruto! What's wrong?!" he yells, looking at Naruto's hunched form, his spine arching forwards. Naruto arcs backwards, his face twisted in an expression of pure agony.

"Oh Sage… Obito… never do that again…" he moans, his teeth feeling like they've been shot full of lightning as he slumps forward onto his hands and knees. Obito frowns.

"What went wrong… is it because we both have the Kamui? No, otherwise Kakashi wouldn't have been able to get out… damn it, what's going on?!"

**"Naruto, it's because we don't exist in his reality. In this Dimension we're fine, but Remnant exists on another plane of existence! Your body is literally trying to change its existence to return to the Shinobi World. It's not possible, so it's destroying itself."** Kurama calmly states.

"Oh… I see." Naruto groans, his face scrunching up in pain. 'Ohhhhh, this hurts.'

"What do you see?! What happened?" Obito demands, his hands twitching towards Naruto as he struggles not to reach out and touch him, in fear of hurting him more.

"Kurama said I don't exist in the Shinobi World, and that we can't pull me in with the Kamui." Naruto explains, clenching his teeth as agony shudders through him.

Obito curses, slamming his hand into the ground. "Damn!" he walks about, thinking. "OK, here's what we'll do. I'll go explain the situation to the Kage, and then we can all think of a way to get you home. For now, go into the new world you found, and meet here... every forty eight hours." he decides, and Naruto frowns.

"Shouldn't I stay here? That way we can meet up whenever you have a idea."

"No. Naruto, you just went through the Fourth Great Ninja War, and now no one is chasing you to kill you. You know what you need to do?"

Naruto blinks slowly. "What?"

Obito grins, slapping him on the back. "You need to take a vacation! You have no Sasuke to rescue, no Akatsuki after you- nice cloak by the way, very stylish -and you basically got the Hokage hat! You have nothing you need to do, other than get back home!" Naruto nods slowly, ill at ease.

"So... you think I shouldn't do anything?" he asks, his expression conveying his distaste for the inaction. Obito however nods brightly.

"Yes. If you really need to do things, then you can see if this new dimension has anything on Space-Time Jutsu. I doubt it, but you never know." he relents, sighing quietly.

Naruto nods happily. "Great! I'll be back before you know it!"

Obito smiles hugely, and activates his Mangekyou. "Well, time to pay Kakashi a visit and hope he doesn't skewer me for leaving the Blood Prison!" and with that, he twists out of existence.

Naruto shakes himself like a wet cat. "Well, time to head back." and with that, he follows Obito's example, and vanishes into thin air.

**Author's Note:**

**Well, I agreed with a lot of the reviews for the original chapter, so here's the revamped version! This one's going slower, and I'm trying to avoid the main plot line until I feel like it. Also, finished first term! Exams are done now, which gives me more time to write (although I'll be on a three week hiatus to finish applying for college). **

**Also, I feel the need the address the comments about Naruto's speed. I said that he moved that fast in his fastest mode, Sage of SIx Paths Kurama Chakra Mode, and that he was slower in his Kurama Chakra Mode (obviously). I agree, if he ran into something in his fastest mode the results would be apocalyptic. However, he only was moving in his Kurama Mode, which I decided landed him just North of Vale, in the mountain containing a Wyvern. His speed made a small crater, but it didn't come close to shattering the mountain. (lol, imagine if the wyvern had been freed from that! If anyone wants to write an Omake where that happened, be my guest and I'll post it if you want me to! Full credit to you.)  
**

**Lastly, my sincerest thanks to Wind Dragon Master! Your comments are thoughtful, and I appreciate that you are willing to educate my poor brain. I've never done this before, and would like to thank you sincerely for the help.**

**...**

**Anyways, poll is closed, Ruby is the girl for now! I'll see how it goes.**

**Thought Bubble: If anyone wants to write a Obito centric story about what he does in the Shinobi World after this chapter, be my guest! Same goes for Sasuke in his random dimension, incidentally! Just PM me a link to it, I would love to read it!**

**Sincerely and (now with some) Remorse,**

**Pad**


	8. Chapter 7

**AN: From now on I'll be switching to past tense in my writing. I was trying to write in the present tense as a self challenge, but it's become a pain in my luscious backside. Now, read on and review! This is the last chapter for… some time. Oh, and the last chapter was updated, so go back and read it again.**

**-Pad**

**Chapter 7: Great Days Ahead**

Yang ran through the forest, terror rapidly filling her body. Ruby still hadn't awoken, and she was quickly becoming more and more pale. Yang could feel Ruby slipping away. Don't ask her how she knew, but she did. Ruby was dying, and they were stuck in the middle of the FUCKING forest!

She growled, and reaching into her pocket wrenched free her scroll. With one arm holding Ruby on her back, the other hand splays across the screen, dialing Taiyang. She watches as it calls him, before her call ends. He didn't pick up. She curses, and glances over her shoulder.

The Grimm hadn't made any moves, and she wasn't sure why. All she knew was that they needed to reach the edge of the forest as soon as possible. Hopefully she was on the right track, she thought to herself as the trees blurred into a hazy gray and brown stream.

She had no ideas, no plans. All she had was hope, and hope never saved anyone from the Grimm.

_Elsewhere…_

A small black bird flitted between the trees, careful to avoid hitting the leaf encrusted branches that loomed out of the night. It's red eyes flickered quickly, seemingly looking at everything as it moved nearly faster than the eye could track. Flitting between the trees, the bird landed silently on a branch, and looked down on two girls running through the trees. The Red one was unconscious, and the Blonde was clearly reaching her limit. The bird cocked its head to one side, as if contemplating the two humans down below. With a squawk, it lifts off the branch, swooping down towards the young women below.

Yang glanced up at the squawk, eyes narrowed in consternation.

'A bird… is it a Grimm?' she thinks, paranoia overriding her common sense. 'I need to assume it is… expect the worst, hope for the best!' she snarls, lowering Ruby to the ground by a tree, with her back leaning against it's great trunk.

Yang pivoted, her arms up and ready as she glared into the shadows.

'I got this. Come and get me you stupid Grimm!' she thought, fury colouring her eyes red as the clearing creaks with the sound of branches twisting and groaning. She spies a flash of red, and bends over. She rose and with her hand came a large stone, which she threw into the shadows at the red smear dashing towards her.

Somehow, the stone hit a branch and fell to the ground, thumping into the wet grass. The red dash slowed, and a voice came from the shadows.

"Hey, hey! Chill out Firecracker, it's just me." Qrow said as he emerged completely from the shadows, his eyes sharp and gleaming. Yang heaved a sigh of relief, lowering her arms.

"Oh thank the Brothers! Uncle Qrow, Ruby needs help!" she said, looking back at Ruby. Qrow nods, reaching into his dress shirt.

"I can see that Yang." he drawled, taking out his flask and unscrewing it's lid. "We're in the outer fringes of the Grimm Woods, but for some reason…" he glared at her, taking a quick swig from his flask, "The Grimm don't appear to be anywhere nearby. We could just walk out." he finished, emptying his flask into the depths of his throat. Yang sighed, relaxing further.

"Oh good…" she breathed out, bending over to lift Ruby. "Then let's go. I still don't like this place, it's creepy." Qrow nodded shortly.

"I couldn't agree more Firecracker. Let's move it." he rasped, his voice dry despite his drink. Yang nodded, lifting Ruby and looked at Qrow, who started walking.

"Follow me." he said, hunched over as he walked into the darkness.

_Elsewhere…_

Taiyang was incredibly anxious. He'd been searching the town on Patch for a solid hour, and no one he'd talked to had seen Yang or Ruby. He struggled to not break out into a sprint and charge into the forest; if they were in there, he'd need help to scour the whole place. With that in mind, he was heading to the police station. They'd be able to send out search parties without alerting Ozpin that something was up (hopefully).

If Ozpin found out that Ruby was in the woods, he might take the opportunity to try and sway her towards attending Beacon.

'I can't let that happen.' he decided as he ran to the Police Station on Patch. Bursting in through the front door, he blinked when he saw a single officer there, sleeping at her desk. Taiyang glowered furiously, and stomped across the room, his Aura flickering around him like a candle flame, it's colour a light crimson shean across his body. He slammed his fist on the desk next to the officer's head, startling them awake.

Without giving them time to gain their bearings, Taiyang spoke slowly.

"My daughter is lost in the Grimm Woods. I need help to search it. Do you understand?" he growled, nearly bearlike in his delivery. The officer nodded rapidly, groping for the scroll on the table behind her, eyes wide as she stared at the crimson light leaking from Taiyang's body, wisping off in smoky tendrils. Finally getting her hands on it as Taiyang stared at her, she hastily hit a speed dial.

"This is Officer Wendly, need immediate search and rescue team with Huntsmen suppor-" Taiyang cut her off, his face drawing into a scowl.

"No Huntsman necessary. I already have two A-Class Huntsmen searching." he said, thinking of himself and Qrow. The officer nods slowly, before reiterating her statement into her scroll.

"Negative, only search and rescue." she said, glancing at Taiyang's 'angry dad face' before she spoke again, quietly. "Please hurry." The scroll beeped twice, confirming the message had been sent, and she sighed in relief. Taiyang spoke up, his face devoid of any emotion, and his voice only slightly betraying his fear.

"How many are coming?" he demanded, his voice as frosty as a river in the winter. The officer audibly gulped, retreating into their chair.

"W-well, a standard search and rescue team is comprised of twenty personel, and since you said w-we have Huntsmen, we'll be heading out when they get here in five minutes." she whispered, fear tainting her voice. Taiyang sighed, untensing but not relaxing.

"Sorry, I'm just… really high strung right now." he apologized, trying to unshake the officer, who he now noticed was deathly pale. She nodded quickly.

"Oh, i-it's fine sir! This h-happens all the time! Don't worry! We'll find your d-daughter in n-n-no time!" she said, forcing a smile on her face. Taiyang's heart twanged as he saw her smile, and he felt cold when he saw the tear leaking from her eye.

'Gods, I need to calm down. I'll call Qrow, see if he's found anything. Knowing him, he wouldn't tell me if he found them, the slob.' he thought, sagging down as he reached for his scroll.

After pawing at his cargo shorts pocket, he was puzzled when he didn't find his scroll.

'Huh. That's where I normally put it.' he thought, reaching into his other pockets.

After rifling through all his pockets with increasing fear with each pocket he checked, he threw his hands into the air.

"GODS DAMMIT!" he roared, terrifying the officer. "I forgot my scroll!" he moaned clutching at his head.

"What'll I do, what'll I do!" he groaned, pacing. The officer, still rooted to the spot, tried getting his attention.

"Uuhhmm sir?" she whispered, before speaking louder when Taiyang didn't respond. "Mister!" she called, to which he turned and looked at her, his eyes red and puffy. She spoke up again now that he was paying attention.

"Sir, we have a terminal over there." she gestured to a small booth by the window. "You can make any call you need to from there, if you know the number." she offered, a small yet hesitant smile on her face.

Taiyang smiled brightly at her, causing her to blush. Older or not, Taiyang still had it.

"Thanks miss. I'm so sorry for how I was acting earlier, I'm just so worried about my little rose and dragon." he said, his voice drenched in worry. The officer smiled, more confident now, and touched his shoulder.

"Don't worry sir, we're the best of the best on Patch. Besides, you've got your Huntsmen looking for her. I'm sure that your daughters are fine." she soothed, as Taiyang took in her features.

She had pretty brown hair, and a small pimple above her lip on the right. She also had a blue hair clip, which he noticed was made of wood. Taiyang smiled at her graciously, and bowed, causing her to blush again, though he couldn't see it (as far as she knew).

'Huh, Naruto was right. Bowing really does seem to have a good effect on people in authority.' Taiyang thought as he glanced up at Officer Wendly as she blushed and looked away. He smirked, rising up and walking briskly over to the terminal. Punching in Qrow's mission number, he watched as it dialed. Finally, it was answered.

"_This is Qrow."_

"Qrow thank the Gods! Listen, I need you to-"

"_Ha ha! Got you sucker! Leave a message after the sound of your mother orgasming, bitch."_

Taiyang froze as he glanced at Officer Wendly, who was staring at him in disgust before shaking her head and leaving.

"Wait I didn't know his voicemail was like that!" Taiyang cried out, fear at being branded a pervert stealing into his mind, causing his knees to shake.

'I can't let the girls learn about this!' he mentally screamed.

"_Ha, knew it."_ he glanced back at the terminal, and saw the call still going.

"_Sucks to suck Tai, but hey, how ya doin?"_ Qrow asked, the smirk evident from his voice. Taiyang however, was not amused.

"Qrow, so help me when I get my hands on you-"

"_Hells man, I know I'm a catch but please try to keep those chicken feet away from me!"_ Qrow guffawed, his voice tainted by mirth and ruthless joy. Right as Taiyang was about to angrily respond, he heard a voice that nearly stopped his heart.

"_Hey, Uncle Qrow! Knock it off! We still need to get back! Tease him later!"_ Taiyang froze, before whispering.

"Yang? Is… is that you?" he asked, scarcely believing it.

"_Yeah, it's me. Uncle Qrow found us, we're nearly out of the woods."_

"Do you have Ruby?!" he yelled, his voice breaking.

"_Yeah, I got her. We'll be back in like ten minutes."_ Qrow said, his voice gravelly. Taiyang sagged with relief.

"Oh good! Oh Gods!" he cried, falling to his knees.

"_Hey Tai? Might want to stop doin' whatever you're doing. The pretty officer with you might not be impressed." _Qrow said, the eyebrow wiggle implicit in his words. Tai flushed an angry red.

"Shaddup Qrow! Whatever, I'll wait for you back at the house."

"_Sure."_ Yang said, tension and strain clear in her voice.

"Great! See you guys in-"

Qrow interrupted, his voice harsh. "_Then we need to talk about you not letting Ruby go to Beacon, fat-ass."_

'Oh shit.'

**Author's Note:**

**Hey guys (and gals and non binary pals). As you can see, still alive. This is a really short chapter, but I've been busting my butt and felt like I'd release it early, then update it later with more content.**

**Not really feeling the mood to be honest, this story is all set in my head but I just have one tiny problem.**

**I hate the stuff that happens at Beacon.**

**I read it too often, and don't want to write a 100k+ story that we've all read before. So I've come to a decision! I'm going to either blast through it, and move onto the stuff I want to write (after team selection of course, and some classes). I'll include the invasion obviously, but basically, what I'm asking is if any of you mind if I drop things like Mountain Glenn. Since it'll go the exact same way unless Naruto's there (basically), I don't feel like writing it. You know what happens, and all that jazz.**

**Please tell me what subplots you want followed in the comments, and I'll try my best to include them. No promises!**

**Again, special thanks to all the people who've complimented me and critiqued me, your suggestions will carry more weight than the VERY few people who didn't have any suggestions, only pet peeves.**

"**Sometimes the very act of taking action, regardless of what action we take, inspires us to succeed, along with others who watch us flourish."**

**Pad**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: The Beginnings Begin Again**

Taiyang burst through his front door, rain dripping from his flattened hair. He looked around and saw a light in his living room, and after hanging his coat on the bannister, made his way into the room.

The first thing he saw was Yang speaking quietly with Qrow, who's eyes were wide open and alert. They glanced up when he came in, their faces cooling as their eyes turned frosty.

"Tai." Qrow greeted, his voice a low growl in the rain-made pitter patter. Tai turned away from Qrow, and looked at Yang.

"Yang…" he whispered, his hands twitching upwards. Yang's eyes narrowed, and she shouldered past him, glancing over her shoulder.

"Thanks for the help Uncle Qrow. Please, tell me when Ruby wakes up." she said coldly, glancing at Taiyang.

Taiyang froze, his mind whirling. 'Ruby?' Qrow nodded shortly at Yang, waving her away.

"Sure thing, Yang. Why don't you head to bed, Tai and I… need to talk some things over." he said, lowering himself into a chair, fingers interlocked as he rested his jaw on his hands. Taiyang sighed, and looked at Yang.

"Go sleep, Yang. You'll need your rest." he acquiesced, allowing her to sleep instead of answering his questions. 'Qrow can do that.' he decided. Yang ignored him, and left, slamming the door behind her. Taiyang sighed, shaking his head before sitting down.

He leaned towards Qrow, and allowed himself to ask the question he dreaded the answer to.

"Qrow… is Ruby alright? How badly was she hurt?" he demanded, eyes steely. Qrow glared back at him, eyes equally cold and lifeless.

"She wasn't hurt. She used her eyes." he said coldly, with a tinge of pride sneaking into his voice. "She defeated a Grimm in there Tai, a Grimm that I think is more than just the common Beowolf or Ursa. She fought when even Yang was overpowered, and she won."

Taiyang could detect the smugness in Qrow's statement. "If you think that I'm going to let her go to Beacon because you THINK she killed an 'all-powerful' Grimm, then you're crazy!" he yelled, immediately regretting it when Qrow sent him an unimpressed look.

"Tai, listen, she needs to learn to control these powers. Just one use tonight almost-"

"Almost what, Qrow?" Taiyang asked, his voice cold and hard as iron. "I thought you said she wasn't injured? Doesn't this just prove that she's not ready for Beacon?" Qrow slammed his fist on the coffee table, his eyes no longer cold and distant. Now they were a raging inferno, anger spilling from them in waves. And for the first time in a long time, Taiyang was afraid for his life. Or at the very least, his table which he glanced at discreetly.

"Taiyang Xiao Long. I've known you for nearly twenty years. And you just said the stupidest thing I've ever heard from you." Taiyang was about to interrupt, when Qrow glared at him, silencing him immediately. "Even stupider than the time you said Glynda probably wouldn't wear anything if you rifled her locker." Taiyang nearly smiled at the memory, before quashing the humour welling up in him, returning to the cold glacier that Qrow was quickly becoming familiar with.

"Well, Qrow, if there's one thing this night has taught me it's that Yang isn't ready to go to Beacon either." Silence filled the room, Qrow's eyes wide in shock. "I need to make them stronger. They need to be able to survive without me or you, and right now they can't!" he ended yelling, his eyes tearing up slightly. He fell forwards, his face covered with his hands.

"Qrow, I almost lost both my little angels tonight… and this happened here! On Patch!" Qrow was floored. He really wasn't expecting this. He hesitantly reached out, and patted Taiyang's shoulder as he sobbed.

"Ahhh, uhh, it'll… be OK, Tai. Don't worry." he tried to soothe, cringing inwardly at how hollow his words sounded. 'Huh, maybe I shouldn't have skipped the mandatory Huntsmen Therapy for the last ten years… I might be able to feign some of it.' he thought to himself, before waving the metaphorical red flag in front of the bull.

"But we still need to talk about Beacon." Taiyang slapped his arm away, looking up at Qrow with eyes wide and red rimmed.

"Qrow, if they're not safe here on Patch then they're not safe at Beacon! How can I protect them if they're-" Qrow intercedes, his voice overpowering Taiyang's protests.

"Tai! Beacon is literally the safest place in the world! No Grimm can get within ten kilometers of it without Ozzy knowing about it!" he roared, standing up.

Taiyang looked at him forlornly. "But Ozpin… he'll send them on missions and they could…" Qrow growled, grabbing Taiyang's shirt and heaving him to his feet. "Tai, that's the life they want to lead! That's the life WE lead! How would you have felt if your parents had stopped you from going to Beacon?!" he demanded.

Taiyang's eyes were downcast as he mumbled his response. "I'd have gone anyways… either with faked transcripts or forged permission slips…"

"Exactly. Sorry to say, Tai, but your girls are the toughest kids I've seen. Even tougher than some of our classmates."

Taiyang quirked his eyebrow, the ghost of a smile on his face. "Even better than you?"

Qrow smiled inwardly. 'Great, he's loosening up.' "Nah, pfff, how could they be better than me? I was like a tiny god!" he grinned, leaning forward. Taiyang matched him, leaning further forward.

"Oh yeah? Which tiny god wore a skirt to Beacon on his first day?" he snarked.

"Hey!" Qrow shouted angrily, with the smile on his face betraying the happiness he felt. "We agreed to never speak of it, lest I mention your-" Taiyang slapped his hand over Qrow's grinning face, paling as he looked at the stairs.

"Quiet man! What if Yang hears?!" he whispers, fear etched onto his face. Qrow nodded, and Taiyang removed his face. Qrow took a breath, and:

"What, that you went into the girls' change room and stole every article of clothing you could find? I mean, you found the divine purpose of your Semblance!" he laughed, causing Taiyang to wilt.

"It wasn't like that, Qrow." he whimpered.

"Then you had the audacity to SELL the clothes in Beacon Square!" Qrow laughed, tears appearing in his eyes.

"OK, Qrow, I get the point." Taiyang sulked.

Qrow quickly sobered, leaning backwards as he looked at the ceiling. "See Tai, you have such fond memories of Beacon. Don't deprive your kids of that joy. Give them the opportunity to grow, learn about Hunting, and kick some serious ass."

Taiyang leaned back as well, his expression somber as he thought. Finally, he sighed.

"Qrow, I get it. They're… more than capable of going to Beacon. Both of them. I guess… I guess that I just wish they could stay with me longer." he ended sadly, slouched over. Qrow smiled, and looked out the window.

"Ya know, Tai? They're gonna be around after you and I are gone. If we don't prepare them, they'll die before we do." Taiyang became rigid at that, glancing out the window.

"You're right… what's that outside?" They both looked outside as a person in a large black cloak slid from the shadows of the trees, almost as if they just… appeared. Taiyang heard a ruffling, and glancing at Qrow revealed a crow sitting in the chair. Not standing, actually sitting with it's legs stuck out. Taiyang twitched.

His mouth widened.

And he burst out laughing as the bird tried to get up. Glaring at Taiyang, the crow flapped it's wings and flourished itself as it spun into the air, hiding up in the rafters. Taiyang reached into his fanny pack, and pulled out a grenade, with a small red crystal suspended inside. Hiding it behind his back, he gets up and goes to the door. Opening it, he pretends to close his eyes as he yawns, walking outside. However, his eyes are carefully watching the figure in black, who's still wreathed in shadows but less than a hundred meters away. Suddenly, he sees the glint of red eyes. Thinking fast, he hurls the grenade at the shadowy figure, wrenching out a rifle from his fanny pack, and firing at the grenade as it nears the figure. He sees the figure crouch, and, mid-flip backwards, kicks the grenade upwards. The eyes widen, and blur for a second as the red glow dims, and shadows converge even closer around them.

'Shadows? Is this some kind of stealth Grimm? No… those movements are those of a person. But who?!' Taiyang thought, eyes widening as the figure landed on their hands, twisting themselves one hundred and eighty degrees, before dashing at him with their arms cast backwards, closing the distance between them in a mere three seconds. Leaping into the air, the figure lunged outwards, their foot extended. Suddenly, a flash of silver appeared between them, stopping the Shadow's foot midair. Qrow, a small smirk on his face, flicks the Shadow backwards, before stabbing his sword into the ground and landing on it, perching like the bird he's named for. Right before the figure can lunge again, Qrow speaks up.

"Sorry kid. We thought you were someone else." Taiyang glances at him incredulously. This person just moved faster than he could, nearly as fast as Qrow! What made him think it was a kid?!

'And how does Qrow know them anyways?' he thought. The figure stopped a short distance away, and Qrow glanced at Taiyang.

"Tai, get a flashlight out." Taiyang complied instantly, reaching into his fanny pack and taking out a large flashlight. Clicking the button on it and sliding in an Electricity Dust Crystal into a now open slot, the flashlight bloomed to life, illuminating the yard. The first thing Taiyang noticed was the distinctive cloak.

"Shit! Naruto?" he asked, relief filling his voice. Naruto nodded, still on the alert.

"Why the HELL did you attack me?" he growled, still ready for combat, his eyes unconsciously glowing a crimson red. Taiyang sighed, putting his rifle back into his fanny pack.

"We saw a black figure moving out of the trees, then glowing red eyes. Sorry, we thought you were a Grimm." he said, contriteness obvious from his tone.

"Huh? Red eyes?" Naruto asked, confused.

Qrow interjected. "Yeah, your eyes are red, kid. Mind talking 'bout it?"

Naruto frowned, before his eyes widened. Swiftly, the Sharingan faded away, replaced with coal black orbs. He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Ohhh, those!" he started, his mind racing for an excuse. "Uhhh, I guess you could call them a gift?" he finished, his tone leaving it clear that he was unsure.

Qrow nodded slowly, eyes sharp and glinting. "Are they your Semblance?" he asked, curious. Naruto however, shook his head.

"Oh no. They're not my Semblance. I guess the closest answer would be that they're a friend's Semblance that he gifted to me." Naruto froze after answering, his eyes wide with nervousness. 'Shit, can people even give away Semblances on Remnant?!'

Taiyang's eyes widened. "You mean that your friend gave you his Semblance? How?"

"Well, I know that Jimmy's been researching how to transfer Aura from person to person… do you come from Atlas?" Qrow mused before asking.

Naruto frowned. "Isn't Aura your soul? How can you take that from one person and give it to another?" he demanded, the thought of people taking souls reminding him too much of the Rinnegan to lend comfort.

Qrow growled lowly. "It's… complicated." he said shortly.

Naruto quirked an eyebrow. "Well, I didn't take his soul to get this. He GAVE me his eyes."

Taiyang nodded slowly to himself and glanced at Qrow, both of them thinking the same thing. 'It's not a Semblance… it's closer to Summer's and Ruby's Silver Eyes. Only these are Red Eyes…'

Qrow took these thoughts one step further, his time in the field contributing to his darker thoughts. 'Silver Eyes are special, and destroy the Grimm… who have red eyes. Could these Red Eyes be something like the opposite of the Silver?'

Naruto waved at both of them, his face confused. "Hey, you guys still there?"

Taiyang and Qrow both shook themselves and nodded, a bit embarrassed. Naruto smiled at them both. "Good, then could we go inside? It looks like rain." Qrow shrugs, putting away his sword.

"Sure. Then you can tell us about your eyes, and what they do." Naruto shrugged.

"Eh, I can't tell you a lot since I only received them recently, but I can tell you what I do know." he said as they walked towards the house. Glancing at Taiyang (who was putting his rifle back into his fanny pack), Naruto asked a question which had been weighing on him.

"How are you fitting that big gun in that tiny pouch?!" he yelled, eyes comically wide. Qrow starts, before laughing loudly as Taiyang sighed, before answering.

"It's my Semblance. I can… create extra space within a confined area so that it has more volume on the inside." Qrow laughed even harder, causing Naruto to look at him quizzically.

"What's so funny?"

Qrow stopped laughing, wiping a tear from his eye. "The first time Taiyang explained it, and the way he explained it to everyone we met, was that his Semblance allowed him to shove massive 'things' into tiny things… needless to say, everyone thought he was a douche for YEARS!" he started to laugh again, with Naruto joining in when he saw Taiyang slump over sadly, and beginning to pray.

"Oh great Brothers of Starlit Sky, please never let Yang hear about this. She'll never let me live it down. Thank you for listening to my prayer, O great Brothers Gold and Dark, White and Black, of Light and Shadow."

'Shadow and Light, huh…' Naruto thought, his mind trailing to Sasuke. 'I hope that he's doing better, in whatever world he came to.' Qrow, however, simply laughed harder.

"Should have done THAT prayer in private, Tai! Now I have infinite blackmail material!" Taiyang's head sank lower as he dragged himself up through his front door.

* * *

_After some time…_

"-and that's how Qrow ended up wearing a skirt to initiation!" Taiyang finished retelling his greatest prank in history, for probably the thousandth time. Naruto, of course, was laughing his head off as Qrow steamed in his seat. Naruto glanced at Qrow, and decided to take pity on him.

"Well, that's nothing compared to MY greatest prank!" he boasted, hands tucked behind his head as he smiled. Taiyang looked at him earnestly.

"Oh? Do tell!" he grinned.

"Well, in my village where I grew up we had a mountain where we'd carve the faces of our village leaders." Qrow interrupted, curious.

"How big we talkin'? House sized faces or bear sized faces?"

Naruto leaned forward, smiling proudly. "You know the police station in Vale?" Qrow nodded, his mind already struggling to imagine a head the size of that building.

"Imagine them about double that size." Qrow's jaw dropped, and as he leaned backwards his chair fell over. Cursing, he managed to land on his feet (though his knees buckled), before he righted his chair and sat back down unsteadily. Taiyang simply whistled in awe.

"Anyways, on my last day before graduating the Academy I decided to do one last prank. So I made a bunch of paint using my special paint recipe, and left early in the morning. Using my great and amazing stealth skills, I snuck to the top of the mountain."

Naruto placed both his hands on the table, pushing himself backwards so only the back legs of the chair were on the ground. "Then I climbed down on the face, and you should know that by this point it was dawn, so the sun was streaking over the faces and bathing them in gold and orange light. Anyways, I was wearing a bright orange jumpsuit, which helped disguise me in the light." Qrow laughed.

"Hear that Tai? He used bright orange as camouflage! Bright orange! Heheheh!" Taiyang glanced at Qrow.

'Seriously? He's drunk already? He's only had a few drinks!'

Naruto continued, oblivious to Taiyang's inner thoughts. "-so then I slid down onto the Third Hokage's face-" Taiyang interrupted this time.

"Hokage? Is that the title of your leader?" Naruto nodded quickly.

"Oh yeah. The Hokage is the leader of the village, and usually is the strongest Shinobi in the village." before anyone can ask, he explains further. "A Shinobi is a soldier in the village's defenses, I guess you could say. They're hired out to do odd jobs, like escorting, painting, bodyguarding and cleaning. At least at the beginning. Later, they might fight against other Shinobi. Oh, and they fight the Grimm." he adds on.

Taiyang nods again. "So they behave like Huntsmen, only they answer to a leader. Kinda like the military of Atlas." Qrow agrees.

"Yeah… except it seems like these Shinobi, from what I've gathered, aren't just grunts like most Atlas junkies. They seem to be more skilled if the Hokage is one of them. After all, Huntsmen are Huntsmen first, and soldiers second."

Naruto nods. "Yeah, every Shinobi goes through rigorous learning before leaving the Academy. I mean, they still suck and are the lowest ranked Shinobi, but they still aren't common grunts or samurai. Anyways, nce you do, you're set on a team with two of your classmates, which are usually sorted to best fit with your skillset. Then you're assigned to learn under a Jounin, which is one of the highest ranked Shinobi. They teach you until they think you're ready to take the Chunin Exam, which is super hard! Uhhh, I never passed the Exam, so I don't know exactly what happens after, but if you do well enough they promote you, and you then can teach at the Academy, or go on C-B Ranked missions without a supervisor." Taiyang and Qrow both nodded. Seemed simple enough; it was just a different version of what they had.

"So when did you graduate?" Qrow asked, taking a swig from his flask.

"Oh, about four years ago now. I was twelve when I did, and-" Taiyang interrupts, scandalized.

"You mean you were going on Huntsman Missions when you were twelve?!" he cried out, shock and horror overcoming his features.

Naruto waved him off. "Yeah, but I was with Kakashi-Sensei until just two months ago. Oh, he was my Jounin teacher for years! Although since I got a Master to teach me, I guess Kakashi was more of a part time teacher and supervisor…" he trailed off, thinking.

"You were saying about the prank?" Taiyang prompted, unused to the sad look on Naruto's face, and recognizing it. He saw it every day in the mirror for years after Summer's death.

Naruto perked up, and continued his story. "Oh yeah! So the Hokage is the village leader, and usually the strongest Shinobi. To honour them we carve their face into the Hokage Monument after their coronation. So I went on each face, one by one, and covered them in graffiti. It was awesome! I even nearly got away with it, except my teacher at the Academy caught me." he bemoaned his nearly flawless prank. Taiyang whistled in appreciation.

"I gotta say I'm impressed. Painting something double the size of the Vale City Police Station is no small task."

Naruto stands up quickly. "No, you don't understand! Each head is that size! And I got them all!"

Qrow fell out of his seat laughing. "Maaaan, I wish Jimmy would make one of those, just so I could do that to it!" he rolled on the ground laughing. Naruto shrugged, and whispered to Taiyang:

"Who's Jimmy?"

Taiyang smiled and answered quickly. "That's what Qrow calls General Ironwood." Naruto nods, trying to remember who Ironwood was. After a brief few seconds of reflection, he recalled that Ironwood was the Headmaster of Atlas Academy. From what he learned, Ironwood was a severe man who believed in military might above all else. Kinda like the Hidden Cloud… they even had the same white outfits! Naruto snickered a bit at the thought.

"Anyways, Naruto, you said you'd explain your eyes." Qrow asked, propping himself up against a table leg. Naruto flushed.

"I didn't forget! I'm just not sure how to start…"

"How about what they do?" suggested Taiyang. Naruto agreed, and started.

"Well, the eyes are called the Sharingan, which means the Copy Pin-Wheel Orb. They, as the name suggests, allow me to copy any physical movement that I am physically capable of performing. They also allow me to see through illusions, and see… Aura." he began, already causing Taiyang to look at him in amazement. Qrow however, narrowed his eyes before asking a question.

"Do they have any… Grimm properties?"

"Hmmmm. Well, the people who have the Sharingan are usually driven insane. At least, most the people I've known who've had it. I guess that's grim." he thought aloud.

"What?!" Qrow shout-whispered, "Are you telling me you're going to go insane?!" Naruto quickly makes a no gesture with his arms.

"No no! You see, to awaken the Sharingan the bearer must experience great loss, emotional or otherwise. The previous wielder of these eyes…" he trailed off, unsure if he should continue. However, when Taiyang reached out and held his hand reassuringly, Naruto was emboldened to continue. Maybe Obito's story could live on in people not tainted by bias and hatred.

"The previous owner of these eyes was VERY misfortunate. First they watched their best friend lose an eye and nearly die in a battle, which awoke their Sharingan at what's basically level two. The Sharingan evolves with pain, so the fact that he awoke it beyond its base level means he felt immense pain, beyond nearly anything else his family ever endured.. Anyways, after that battle he was MIA, and was captured by an old man… who doesn't really matter right now. Anyways, he eventually got out from his imprisonment, and rushed back to his best friend, and the girl he loved who he entrusted to his best friend's protection. However, when he got to them he found the girl he loved, Rin, dead with his best friend's hand through her chest." Qrow and Taiyang were horrified.

"So… is that how it evolved?" Qrow asked, shock tinging his voice. Naruto simply nodded.

"Yeah. He was driven insane, and killed thousands before eventually recovering, and then using… a special technique he got from the old man to bring as many people back from the dead as he could." Taiyang and Qrow were floored now. Someone who could bring back the dead? Inconceivable!

"Wait wait wait, this guy could bring the dead back to LIFE?!" Qrow yelled, making Taiyang shush him.

"Yeah… he was a hero. Anyways!" Naruto steered away from Obito, "-the eyes allow me to perceive things slower than they're actually happening, and I can sometimes, although I haven't learnt how yet, put people into an illusion if I make eye contact with them." Qrow nodded absently, his mind still on the whole bringing people back from the dead. Shaking his head, Qrow decided to let go of that fantastical piece of knowledge. From what Naruto said, the guy was dead so it didn't matter what Godly abilities he'd had.

'Besides,' Qrow thought slowly, his Aura beginning to cleanse the drink from his mind, 'I have another fish to fry.'

"Sooo, Tai, we didn't finish our conversatiooooon!" Qrow slurs from the floor.

"Oh my Gods Qrow, what is it now?!" Taiyang whined, looking at Qrow's limp body.

"Are you gonna let Ruby go to Beacon?" Qrow said, the drunkenness sliding off of him like a snake shedding its scales. Taiyang sighed as Naruto leaned in, seriousness clouding his face.

"I'm… still not sure." Before Naruto could say anything, Taiyang raised his hand, gesturing for silence. After a pause, he resumed.

"I get it. It's a great opportunity, and one that all of us would have taken. I also understand that Beacon is as safe as here, if not safer." Qrow nodded enthusiastically, while Naruto pondered.

"But I also never expected this! Qrow, I thought I'd have Ruby here for two more years! It's… hard to let your child go, especially when you didn't think you'd need to." Naruto nodded sadly, before deciding to speak up.

"I don't know if this will help your decision, but my parents died when I was born." Taiyang started, and reached over to Naruto's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. Naruto nodded in appreciation, before continuing.

"They died to save my life before I'd even said my first word. They believed in me, and entrusted to me the future of our village."

"Really? You were given such a great responsibility by your parents?" asked Taiyang, suspecting that there was more.

"My father was the Fourth Hokage, but I didn't learn that until a couple months ago. He believed in me, and now I think you should believe in Ruby." Naruto said quietly, unsure if his words stretched across the gulf between him and Taiyang.

'Honestly, this is the first time that I can't really connect to someone's problems… I have no idea what he's feeling.' Naruto thought, uneasy.

Taiyang sighed. "I think I know what you mean. Qrow said something similar; it's time to leave this to the next generation. If I keep Ruby here, I'm just ensuring that she'll die quickly later. Better for her to go to Beacon now, and get stronger so that she doesn't die later." he decides, his voice devoid of conviction, and filled with uncertainty.

Qrow reaches over to him, and pats his shoulder. "Tai, believe me. She'll be safe. Oz is the strongest Huntsman in the world; nothing will hurt her at Beacon aside from her own social ineptitude."

Taiyang smiles sadly. "She won't have any friends there… I know Yang tries to be protective of her, but she'll just leave Ruby alone when she feels like it. Ruby will be alone."

Naruto shakes his head. "No. She won't be. I'll be there too, and I'll be her friend."

Taiyang looks at Naruto carefully for any ulterior motives.

He finds none.

"I have one condition for Ruby going to Beacon." Taiyang said firmly, conviction boldly growing in his voice. Naruto stares straight at him.

"What is it?"

"Be her partner, Naruto. Be her friend." he says firmly. Naruto nods shortly, his face serious.

"I will." Qrow snorted.

"You're gonna need to find a way to do that first." he grunted.

"How would you recommend it?" Naruto asked slowly, not used to needing to plan out his moves.

"Well, first you need to ensure that you meet her first. Oz has a variety of random ways to assign team mates, and if I know him it'll be done in a way that makes it so the teams HE wants end up made." Naruto nodded slowly.

"But the fact is that you should be able to become her teammate if you are sent in the same direction she is when Oz catapults you into the forest."

Naruto nodded before: "Wait, CATAPULTS?!"

"Oh yeah, just fly in the same direction as her, don't get carried away, and you'll do fine. Besides, you're fast. You should be able to find her, especially if you agree beforehand on a signal that you'll use to meet up, like a flare." Qrow suggested. Naruto agreed, seeing the value in a plan. And so he, Qrow and Taiyang stayed up late into the night, planning on how Naruto would become Ruby's partner.

**Author's Note:**

**Hopefully, Beacon in two chapters. I hope even a single person appreciates the GENIUS that went into Taiyang's Semblance. Cheers, please send me positive feedback, I'm going on vacation for the next 5 days.**


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Onwards, Destiny**

Naruto was actually bored. After planning with Qrow and Taiyang all night, and learning what he could about team initiations, he realized it was nearly five in the morning, and far too late to sleep. Resigning himself to a long day (which would end with sleeping at Beacon, he hoped), he decided to make himself useful to himself and to Ruby, and make some new smoke bombs, poisonous smoke bombs, flash bombs, smoke flash bombs, Shinobi wire, paint bombs, and collect spare kunai and shuriken from Obito's armoury in the Kamui dimension. He also began designing his weapon. After all, according to Ruby no Huntsman was complete without a weapon.

He was really torn; on one hand he wanted to wield a sword like Sasuke, because he valued the reach and fast slices. He paused, thinking to himself before being honest: he just thought swords were cool.

"**Naruto, whatever weapon you design shouldn't be chosen for reasons like that!"** Son Goku scolded him, seeing where Naruto's mind was going. "**You should choose a weapon that doesn't impede the style you have already. Something like that Yang girl has, gauntlets!"**

Kurama scoffed, amusement filling his voice as he responded to Son Goku's complaint. "**Humph, you're only saying that because that's how **_**you **_**fight, monkey. Naruto, you should use the same weapon that the brat who stole my Chakra used: three metal claws! Slash your enemies to pieces!"** he growled, pleased with the mental image he'd conjured. Matatabi agreed with Kurama.

"**That would be nice… simple, elegant, and it works well with your style."** she mused.

Shukaku had a different idea. "**Or, Naruto, you could do what Gaara did! Use sand from a gourd!"** Naruto paused at this, enthused at the idea of using sand. However, he came to a conclusion after mere moments of thought.

"I'd rather not reveal something like that every time I fought… If I saved it for special battles, I'd have a better chance of winning. But good idea Shukaku, I'll make a special pouch for sand; using seals I should be able to increase the amount I can carry." The rest of the Tailed Beasts agreed with him, although Shukaku was sad that his preferred method of combat wouldn't be Naruto's primary method.

"**Well, Naruto, what if we made a list of the most effective weapons used against you? After all, no one suspects that the best weapon to defeat someone with is the one they themselves use."** suggested Kokuo after a few minutes of Naruto doodling axes, maces and sword along with other weapons. Naruto thought about what Kokuo said, before smiling and nodding brightly.

"Great idea Kokuo! Let's see…" he thought, starting to write down what he remembered. Every so often the Tailed Beasts would offer some input, telling him about weapons they'd seen that worked well, although most of those were scrapped just for being cumbersome (after all, most weapons that worked well on Tailed Beasts were too cumbersome for humans to just walk around with). But after nearly an hour of work, they'd come up with a list, despite the Tailed Beasts bemoaning Naruto's ability to name them.

1: Zabuza's big sword

2: Shark Face's sword

3: Sora's claws

4: Madara's weird guitar shaped thingy

5: Obito's staff with rings

6: Puppets

7: Haku's needles

8: That big exploding ball thingy Tenten used

9: Temari's fan

10: Toad's stone swords

11: Bee's sword technique

12: Lightning sword thing

Kurama sighed. "**Can you really not remember, or do you enjoy giving weapons stupid names?"** he asked.

"Welllll, I can remember them, I just don't remember what they were called." Naruto laughs mentally, scratching his head. The Tailed Beasts sighed. Naruto refocused on the list, his eyes dancing with mirth.

"OK. Honestly, Shark Face's sword was dangerous but I don't know how to make it, and it's really not my style. Hey Gyuki, what was Bee's style? All you said was that he used lots."

"**Bee used seven sword at once, and moved like water so each blade was used for multiple purposes, and each could strike. He could throw them and recover them, and when he fought he was almost like a porcupine."** Gyuki remembered, sadness filling his voice.

Naruto didn't pick up on it. "OK, that sounds cool! Besides, it'd be a way to honour him in this new life! But it doesn't really seem like my style…"

Kurama growled angrily. "**As much as I **_**loathe**_ **to say it… the weapon on that list which best fits you is Madara's Gunbai. That or the claws."** Naruto was confused.

"What do you mean? All I saw from it was that weird reflection technique, but I can do the same thing with the Water Mirror. Why is it best for me?"

"**You forget, Naruto, that I knew Madara more than a hundred years before you were born. That war-fan could strike a gale even greater than that Sand woman's. And that was just from swinging it; it was nigh indestructible and could be used as a shield, blade and even a mace if it was called for. With your wind nature, you'd be able to use most of his techniques with it, which I don't doubt Obito has written down, or can teach you. However! I still think the claws would do fine, with your Wind nature you could slice anything with them."**

However, Naruto was now thinking about the fan. 'I could use the Uchiha Reflection? I mean, it's better than the Water Mirror because it doesn't have any preparation… and being able to use a shield sounds nice since I don't have the deflecting abilities of Aura…'

Isobu thought aloud as well. "**Hmmm. Good point, Kurama. I also recall Madara used a Kusarigama along with his Gunbai, which was attached using a chain. With both of them, he had long ranged attacks using only his weapons which he could recall to himself at will, and by channeling his Chakra through the chain it would act like a Chakra String, allowing him to control it's flight path."**

Naruto was instantly sold. 'I could control it? Now that I remember, Obito channeled Chakra through it to make the chain rigid, and it stopped me and my Rasengan without leaving so much as a scratch, or moving the fan…'

Kurama sighed. "**Fine. But you'll need to get Obito to get you one; I doubt they have the Chakra conductive lightweight wood here you need to make it."**

Naruto started to giggle slightly. "**What is it, brat?!"**

"Sorry, it's just everyone else will probably have some super weapon like Crescent Rose, and all I'll have is a piece of wood!"

Chomei had one last suggestion. "**Naruto, you should still learn how to use the other weapons. That way if you lose one you still have spares."** Naruto found himself nodding in agreement. After all, the amount of times he ran out of kunai was bewildering to him and he felt that it was better to learn many ways of fighting rather than a single one. What if he fought an opponent who happened to be great at defending from that specific weapon? Granted his Ninjutsu would probably be fine, but it's the thought that counts! Don't give yourself a weakness thinking that it won't come into play! If there's one thing he learned from Itachi it was that: every jutsu has a weakness, and so does every Shinobi.

Qrow sighed as he walked up the stairs. It was time to tell Ruby she could go to Beacon, and he really didn't want to. Don't get him wrong, he was… not depressed, but he didn't want to deal with a hyperactive overjoyed ball of sunshine this early in the morning; especially after actually drinking nearly all night. He groaned to himself and opened Ruby's door. Walking in, he gave her a quick look over.

'Still not awake… maybe we should get Oz in on this. He'd know what to do.' Qrow thought as he slumped into a chair opposing Ruby's bed.

The door creaked quietly, and, glancing at the door, Qrow saw Yang walk in, still in her pajamas.

"Uncle Qrow? Is Ruby going to be alright?" she asked, her voice small and afraid. He sighed, slumping back further.

"I have no idea, firecracker. We can only hope." he said, while thinking to himself 'And I could leave.'

Yang growled, throwing herself on the floor with her legs crossed. "It's not fair! Right before she would've gone to Beacon, and this happens?!" she whispers angrily. Qrow groaned again, palming his face.

"I know kid, I know. Maybe…" he started to think, curious. 'Maybe blond two-point-oh could help. He was a kind of Huntsman, and we still don't know all the aspects of his Semblance. Maybe he could help…' Qrow surged to his feet, all signs of exhaustion falling off of him like a dirty cloak as he sped to the door in a flurry of feathers. Yang glanced up, eyes red rimmed.

"Huh. Where'd he go?"

Qrow sped down the stairs, and flitted back into his human form right as he came to the door. To the untrained observer, it would have looked like he just appeared there. Fortunately for Qrow, despite the Sharingan Naruto was still an untrained observer and wasn't even paying attention until he sensed Qrow right there. Leaping to his feet, Naruto spun around snapping his notebook shut with a flick of his wrist (and a Chakra String). Qrow noted this.

'He closed the book without touching it… intriguing.' Crossing his arms, Qrow slowed to a halt right in front of Naruto.

"Hey kid. Does your Semblance give you the ability to heal? You didn't explain much beyond it gives you 'power over nature'."

Naruto thinks for a bit. 'On one hand I can totally heal people, but would it be wise to reveal my Sun Mark to anyone this early on?' Thinking further, he comes to a decision.

"No, I'm afraid I don't have healing powers. While my control over nature does give me natural regeneration at a small level, it doesn't allow me to heal others." Qrow groaned, tucking his hands in his pockets.

"Well, then I'm not sure Ruby'll be awake for initiation. She's still asleep." Naruto twitched, his eyes wide. 'She's not awake?'

Naruto hurriedly asked more questions. "Is her Aura low? Is that why she's not awake?" Qrow shook his head in the negative.

"Her Aura's fine, but it's like she's just not waking up. I don't know why." Naruto frowned, before speaking again.

"Well, while I don't have healing powers I could see if there's anything wrong with her that I can sense…" Qrow nods in agreement.

"Better than nothing." Heading back inside, they walked into Ruby's room and Naruto frowned when he saw her face.

'It's almost like Chakra exhaustion… but from what I sensed earlier, they don't have Chakra, just that shell they call Aura. What's going on?' thinking quickly, Kurama lent him some help.

"**Naruto, use the Sharingan."** Naruto slapped his head in embarrassment, forgetting he had the Sharingan. With a quick application of Chakra, his eyes spun into the dreaded red and black patterns of a fully matured Sharingan. Gazing down at Ruby, his eyebrow cocked quickly.

'Her Aura is fine… but now I can see something beneath that solid red shell. It's been weakened, that's for sure. What's under you?' he thought. 'Maybe if I enter Sage Mode, the combined sensory abilities will reveal more.' he reached out for Nature Energy, and, feeling it, requested it to become one with him. Stilling entirely, the Chakra danced as it flew through him, filling his reserves. He sighed in contentment.

Opening his eyes, which had turned a burnished gold with the Sharingan still swirling, he looked again at Ruby. And this time, he was floored.

'Underneath… it's Chakra! But why couldn't I sense it before? And why's it so low?' he demanded from himself, his brow furrowing. Kokuo responded, his wise voice low and cautious.

"**It may be because we've misinterpreted what we've heard. Aura might not BE the soul at all… rather, it appears to be a shell formed around the soul and body, to protect it from outside interference. And the soul itself? Is Chakra."** Naruto scowled, angry with himself for not noticing this earlier.

'Why would there be a shell? Yang said Aura needs to be awakened by someone else, or you had to have great will to manifest it, so why would it even exist?'

"Well kid? You find anything?" he hears, suddenly noticing that Qrow was still standing behind him. Naruto sighed audibly, before turning.

"Yeah. Her Aura is a bit low, but not too low. What's concerning is that her Chakra is-" he cuts himself off, already mentally swearing at revealing Chakra. Qrow narrowed his eyes.

"Chakra?" he asked lowly, curious but not happy that something was wrong.

Naruto wracked his brain for an answer, too busy to notice that Qrow had noticed his eyes were gold. "Sorry, but could you remind me what Aura is? I need a more in depth version than it's 'my soul' to discover what's wrong. Then I'll explain about Chakra." Qrow sighed.

"Well, you're almost right. Aura isn't your soul however, it's the manifestation of it. Very different. You can transfer Aura to heal people, but you definitely can't transfer souls, unless you're Jimmy in which case you do whatever the hell you want." Naruto nodded slowly, before answering Qrow's first question.

"Well, I don't know how this happened since I'm sure no one else does this, but Ruby hasn't exhausted her Aura. She's literally used her soul, which my people called Chakra, since it fuelled Aura. Her soul has been depleted, and needs to regenerate more. This takes far more time than Aura, since she's literally regrowing parts of her soul." Qrow was instantly fearful.

'Does Oz know this? And if he did, he still had Summer use them and wants Ruby to use them?' he started to glare out the window, where he could just make out Beacon tower on the horizon, where he imagined Ozpin was standing. 'You want Ruby to use her soul to fight?' glancing at Naruto, he asked the important question.

"What happens if you completely deplete your… Chakra?" Naruto sighed, seeing where Qrow was going.

"You die. As it is, she has maybe two ninths of her Chakra right now, which is why her Aura is still there. It only needs a tiny amount to exist, since it's like a container for Chakra. However, if Ruby hasn't ever done this before then she'll need at least half her Chakra to stay awake. It takes training to keep going after losing that much Chakra." he mused, forgetting again to keep information to himself. Qrow sighed.

"And how do you know about this?" he asked, done with the mysteries. Naruto flinched, before revealing some more.

"Well, my village leader was a Healer named Tsunade. She studied Chakra, and discovered that you could utilize it to some degree. She also discovered that losing enough of it killed you, so we trained to use it properly." Qrow nodded, intrigued. Naruto however, was thinking rapidly.

'Aura is like a shell, which stops things from coming in… and from coming out. If you have Aura, you can't use Chakra. That means I was wrong before about Grimm… they aren't just Yang Chakra, they're Yang Chakra surrounding Yin, and people are Yin shielded Yang. And if they're shielded, that means I can't sense what's inside unless a single aspect is weakened… bother. But they can't use their Chakra as a single entity, so they can't use Jutsu.' he pondered, concerned. 'Better try to obscure this… ironically, the Huntsmen have disabled themselves by separating their Aura from their Yang Chakra.'

Qrow kept speaking when Naruto was thinking. "OK… that makes some sense. I guess it makes sense her power comes from the soul." he reveals, checking if Naruto was listening. Which he was not. Qrow sighed, shaking his head. 'Well, I tried to reveal it. Kid's on his own now.' shrugging, he turned and left, leaving Naruto with Ruby.

'Hmmmmmmmm. I could jumpstart her Chakra regrowth… by infusing her with Sage Chakra…' Naruto considered, before discarding the thought. 'No… I could do it, by sensing her Chakra Capacity then matching it… interesting thought… giving Sage Powers…' The Tailed Beasts collectively scolded him:

"**Naruto, one does not simply GIVE the greatest power of Chakra to other people! It must be EARNED!"** they roared, frowns obvious from their tones. Naruto blanched, quickly waving them off.

'No, no no! You all misunderstand! I just want to help her! I'm only thinking of ideas!'

Kurama grunts. "**Naruto, you have a tendency to act before thinking, or not thinking at all. While you've trimmed that bush under our guidance, you still think with your heart more than your brain."** Matatabi sighed loudly, filling his mind.

"**Kurama, it's that attitude that drew us to him in the first place. Asking him to abandon that ideology and methodology is asking him to stop being the person we all bonded to."** The rest of the Tailed Beasts clamoured in agreement, their support throwing Kurama off balance. With a gruff dismissal, Kurama agreed.

"**Fine. Do what you want, but if she goes rogue it'll be on YOUR head. You will need to stop her."**

Naruto smiled brightly, appearing within his mindscape. "Don't worry, Kurama. I can sense negative emotions thanks to you, remember? She's not going to go rogue. She'll use any leftover power for good." Kurama sighed once more, leaning back on his haunches.

"**I already agreed, brat. Do with her what you will."** Smiling brighter than before, Naruto nodded before leaving his mindscape, the Tailed Beasts frowning.

"**This feels too much like what father did before his death…"** Son Goku rumbled, disturbed.

"**Yeah. This time, we can't let another Indra loose on the world. No Uchihas. Agreed?"** asked Gyuki, his face stern and determination staining his bull-like features. The rest of the Tailed Beasts agreed, save Kurama.

"**Hmmm. While I don't like the Uchiha-"** Shukaku interrupted:

"**You hate them, you dumb fox!"** Kurama sent him a withering glare, causing Shukaku to wilt.

"**As I was saying." **he growled, "**I hate them. But without the Uchiha we never would have met Naruto. In fact, the chances are good he wouldn't have been born. We shouldn't interfere beyond what Naruto asks of us. Who knows, maybe a thousand years from now another will bring us together… one who we won't meet if we interfere."** The rest of the Tailed Beasts looked at him in shock. He wanted to wait and see.

"**That's… very unlike you, Kurama."** said Kokuo, intrigued.

"**I would endure a millenia of torture for Naruto. If another like him comes after his death, I would rather be there waiting for them than hunting down Uchiha wannabes."** The rest of the Tailed Beasts laughed at that, before separating back to their various haunts around Naruto's mindscape.

_Outside Naruto's Mindscape…_

Naruto craned his neck, hearing a few pops. 'I really need to start lying down before going into my mindscape…' he thought to himself, hearing the knots in his neck settle themselves. After stretching, he looked down at Ruby and thought more about how to awaken her.

'I need to jumpstart her Chakra network, and get it growing… Maybe if I give her some food pill like substances?' he thought, before scratching his head. He wasn't the scientist, he had no idea what to do! 'Eh, just do something. Kurama said I understand Chakra inherently, so I'll just let my instincts guide me.'

Reaching out his hand, he allowed it to become coated in Orange Chakra, which he lowered to her heart. Allowing it to seep into her Aura, he was relieved to see it start infusing her with his energy. After a few minutes, he judged her Chakra capacity was around half full. Just about what she'd need to wake up, and by judging how quickly her Chakra regenerated on it's own, she'd be awake in less than an hour, well within the time limit to get to Beacon. He nodded to himself, pleased with his work, and removed his Chakra-less hand from what he just realized was her chest. Blushing, he fled the room, grabbing his cloak from the door where he'd left it on the way in.

Storming downstairs, Naruto nearly ran into Taiyang, who grabbed his shoulders.

"Whoa, where are you going?" he asked, bags under his eyes and the smell of coffee oozing from his breath. Naruto flinched back, his nose twitching.

"Just going outside. Gonna do a bit of training before catching the... Bullhead." he answered after remembering the name of the aircraft. He still wasn't used to seeing all the high tech tools they had in Remnant. Taiyang nodded, and, curious, asked if he could tag along.

"Sure. I'm only doing physical workouts anyways." Naruto answered, marching to the door with Taiyang following him. Once they were outside, Naruto flipped up to a tree and latched his legs over a branch. Breathing deeply, he started doing sit ups while Taiyang watched, bemused.

"Uhhhh, Naruto?" he called out, causing Naruto to stop and glance at him.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you exercising your legs and abdominal muscles? You're already plenty fast." he asked.

Naruto nodded. "I am, but that's only when I use my... Aura to enhance my speed and muscle power. When I run using only my physical power, I'm only about as fast as a Genin." he answered sheepishly, knowing that he was still behind everyone back home when it came to his physical skill. Using Chakra he was above nearly everyone, but without it he couldn't even outrun Kiba. How could he call himself ready to be the Hokage if he couldn't even beat a Chunin on his own power?

"Well, if you think you aren't physically ready how about I get you my training gear?" Taiyang offered. He hadn't used it in years, and Yang had no interest in it. Naruto however, was delighted. It was the first time since Jiraiya that someone had offered him training gear. Kakashi had helped him, but hadn't given him any equipment.

Nodding quickly, Naruto agreed. "That would be awesome! Thanks Mr. Xiao Long!"

Taiyang grumbled something about how he felt old as he walked back into his house, and Naruto decided to do some pushups while he waited.

'What? Like I have anything better to do!' he said to the vague feeling of disapproval emanating from his mindscape. The feeling abated, but didn't dissipate entirely after his admonition. Naruto sighed, and kept doing pushups while he waited for Taiyang.

After a while, Taiyang reemerged, with a small leather case. Giving it to Naruto, he delivered some advice.

"I've stuffed all my training gear in here. I'd tell ya to not take it out until you reach Beacon, so that you can use it there, but I'm sure you figured that out." Naruto hadn't, so with a small sheepish grin he nodded, accepting the case.

"Thanks Mr. Xiao Long! I'll use it loads at Beacon!" Taiyang grinned before answering.

"I've also included a training regime that I used at Beacon, and for a few years afterwards. Follow it, and you should do just fine!" he advised, nodding sagely. Naruto grinned brightly, agreeing.

"Thanks! I'll follow that too!" he said happily, before thinking to himself; 'I should get some weights like Lee did… that'll help tons.' The Tailed Beasts agreed, their faint voices growing louder as they addressed him. Taiyang noticed Naruto grip his head, a faint scowl on his face.

"You OK Naruto?" he asked. Naruto looked at him confusedly, unaware of his momentary wince.

"Yeah, why?"

Taiyang frowned, remembering their talk from the night before about madness, and was a little worried. "You just gripped your head, and flinched."

Naruto narrowed his eyes in consternation, before they widened in realization. With a quick mental apology, he closed the seal on the Tailed Beasts. He sighed in relief as a headache he hadn't even noticed faded with their dull clamour.

"Just a headache, Mr. Xiao Long. I think I had a migraine, but I feel fine now. Maybe I'll take it easy for the rest of the day." he proposed, not wanting to worry Taiyang when he didn't need to. Taiyang nodded quickly.

'It's completely normal for kids to have migraines right before doing something stressful, and HE'S trying to pull one over Ozpin. Of course he's stressed.' Sympathetic, he led Naruto back to the house, where he lay down on one of the benches on their porch, swiftly unsealing the Tailed Beasts and beginning to explain why he'd sealed them. Sighing, Taiyang went back into his house, guilt already weighing down his shoulders.

'We're asking so much of him. He could be expelled for trying to do this… Nah, Ozpin won't expel him. He'll just be… annoyed. Crap.' groaning, he wandered up his stairs, absent-mindedly glancing into Ruby's room before wandering over to Yang's to see if she was done packing her bags. Entering her room, he was pleased to see that she'd packed all her bags, and had them ready to go. However, she was treading around her room anxiously, and he was pretty sure what was wrong.

"Worried about your little sister, Yang?" he asked, his voice a mix of emotions impossible to divide and analyze. Yang turned with a start, bemused and annoyed.

"Yeah, actually I am! Uncle Qrow burst out of her room without saying anything, and you won't let her go to Beacon even if she does wake up! I need to go to Beacon, but Ruby's stuck in a coma!" she ended yelling, eyes glowing an ominous red. Taiyang slapped his forehead, groaning.

"Ohhh, that's right! We didn't tell you!" Yang glared at him with eyes befitting a devil, her brows furrowing in anger.

"What didn't you tell me, dad." she growled, fury oozing into her voice like muck down a steep hill.

"Last night your Uncle Qrow and I talked with Naruto, and came to a compromise. Ruby can go to Beacon, but Naruto's gonna be her partner. He's trained enough that I'm pretty sure he can protect her until she's strong enough to protect herself." Taiyang explained, causing Yang to simmer down, confused.

"But… didn't you think I could do that?" she asked, a tremor in her voice. Taiyang sighed, reaching out his hand to her and pulling her into a hug.

"Yang, you're so many things. Passionate, explosive and protective. You're also incredibly strong, but you have yet to face true hardship." Before Yang can erupt into a tirade, Taiyang continues.

"I know your mom left, and I know Summer died and it hurt. I know more than anyone how much it hurts. But that, that isn't the hardship you'll need to face. You experienced loss at a young age, so young. But it wasn't your fault. That's why you're not ready. You haven't failed to protect someone, haven't watched people get hurt because you weren't good enough."

Yang closed her eyes, rebukes dying on her lips leaving nought but a question. "But Naruto has?" she asked hesitantly, the tremor in her voice returned with vengeance.

Taiyang nodded, his head rubbing against her own. "I can see it in his eyes, the same feeling Qrow and I feel every time we remember the people we've lost. He's lost people before, and he blames himself for them. Maybe it was his fault, or maybe he just takes the blame on himself, but he feels like he failed." Pulling away from Yang, he gazed into her eyes, with an intensity she had never seen before. "And that's why he won't lose Ruby. He knows what accepting limits does, and he'll break himself before allowing something to happen to her."

Yang nodded sadly. "I'm just sad you didn't think I could do it." she whispered, tears sliding down her face. Taiyang sighed, his eyes downcast.

"I'm glad that you've never gone through this Yang. It leaves scars, scars that never fade. I should know…" he trailed off, before hearing a slight creak behind him. Turning, his eyes widened as he saw Ruby, looking at him sadly with tears in her eyes.

"Ruby, I-" she flew across the room, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tightly. Taiyang froze for a split second, before warmly embracing her, tears running like rivers down his cheeks. Yang flew in, slamming into them both with the biggest hug she could muster.

"You're awake… I'm so…" she said, before sniffling and just hugging Ruby tighter.

Their hug felt like it lasted an eternity, before they heard a slow clapping coming from the doorway. Looking up, Taiyang saw Qrow leaning against the doorframe, smiling brighter than he'd ever seen Qrow smile before.

"Tai, don't you have something to tell her?" he gestures with his flask at Ruby, causing her to look at Taiyang with questioning eyes.

"What is it dad?" she asked, her voice clear and firm with curiosity filling it to the brim, with no bitterness hidden within.

Taiyang smiled. "Well Ruby, it's around…" glancing for the clock he turned back, "Nine in the morning, and the Bullhead for Beacon leaves at noon. Are your bags packed?" Ruby blanched, before flushing, before starting to ask a question and then stopping, beginning to ask another and biting her tongue, then moving her mouth silently as she processed his words, and then eventually settling on bursting out of the room screaming.

"AHHHHH! I need to pack my things!" Zipping across to her room, she heard Qrow yell at her.

"Hey kid! Tai already did all that for you!" she skidded to a stop, turning with a pout on her face.

"Daaaad! Why would you scare me like that?" she whined, annoyed. Taiyang laughed loudly, explaining.

"I felt bad about saying you couldn't go, so I packed your bags for you. Naruto showed me your... Shinobi Pouches, I think he called them, so I packed all your things into a third that Naruto gave me." Ruby grinned, thanking him profusely before he waved her out.

"Go, go get your things. I didn't touch Crescent Rose, so you need to get it ready." Ruby nodded, bolting from her room. Yang laughed happily, flummoxed.

"I don't know how she woke up so quickly, but I'm not questioning it!" she glanced about her room, before snidely adding, "There are too many old guys in my room. Get gone." Taiyang and Qrow looked at each other, shocked, before laughing explosively. Qrow slouched into the doorframe, rubbing his back up against it.

"Ya know, I kinda like this door. Think I'll stay here a while." he said smoothly, fitting himself up against it with a daring smirk on his face. Yang glowered furiously.

"Get out of here!" she yelled, eyes tinting red. Taiyang blanched upon seeing this, and ran for the door.

"Running Tai?" Qrow mocked from the doorway as Taiyang sped past him.

"Qrow, I own this house! Yang'll break something and it'll be ME paying for it! Don't antagonise her!" he cried out as he zipped down the stairs. Qrow sighed, levering himself up from against the doorframe and slouching down the stairs, leaving Yang to stew in her room.

'Meh, she'll be fine.' he thought, absolving himself of all responsibility.

* * *

_An Hour Later…_

Ruby finally finished packing her baby, and had placed all her tools into her Shinobi Pouches. Weighing the third, she again marvelled at the uses of her dad's Semblance. With a happy skip in her step, she left the basement/workshop, and rose into the sunlight. Yang was waiting for her, motorcycle all prepped and ready for delivery to the Beacon garages. While a bit grumpy that she had loads of bags to carry and that Ruby only had a small pouch, Yang was ecstatic. With a grin and a thumbs up, they both went out the front door. Waiting for them was Taiyang, who ushered them out.

"Come on! You need to have boarded in two hours! Don't want to miss out because you ran late!" he cried, hurrying to his small beat up old car. Ruby slowed, looking around.

"Where's Naruto?" she asked, worry evident in her voice. Yang shrugged, and Taiyang groaned.

"Kid! Get over here we're leaving!" he yelled at the forest. After a few seconds of silence, they saw a figure in a black cloak speed out from the trees, arms lagging behind him. Slowing to a stop, Naruto (for they now saw that it was indeed Naruto) smiled brightly, and looked at Ruby.

"Great, you woke up! Ready to go?" he asked earnestly. Ruby smiled; his excitement was infectious.

"Yeah! Let's go!" she yelled, as Naruto back flipped into the open top of Taiyang's old car. Yang grunted getting in, a small smirk on her face.

"Show off." she gesticulated as she spoke, mimicking his over the top flip. Ruby laughed happily, and pounced in the car, snuggled between Naruto and Yang. Taiyang grinned from the front seat.

"Everyone ready to go?" he yelled over the dull roar of his Fire Dust powered car.

"Hurry up!" was the resounding response, with some being more polite than others but all of them with a smile on their face. Taiyang sighed, wiping away a fake tear.

"I'm so happy!" Then he punched his foot into the pedal, and blasted away full speed. "Next stop for you, Beacon Academy!"

**AN:**

**Well, I'm not dead. Unfortunately, at this time I'm unsure if that'll remain the case; I've been in isolation for more than 3 weeks now, and am sorry to say I have NOT been writing this. But here ya go, this chapter is dedicated to all the nurses and doctors working hard during these horrible and trying times.**

**Thanks for all the nice reviews, but there's one I feel I should address. I'm not sure if I violated an unwritten rule by saying what my story wouldn't include in it's description, but saying that you'll report me for doing so seems a bit extreme. Call me whatever you want, but don't insult me by saying I need to include buzzwords to get people to read my story; I don't care if anyone does! I'm writing this for a SINGLE friend, and to satiate my own desires. If you don't like it because I'm not writing any pedophiles into my story, then guess what? I don't care. Go write your own version, do whatever you want. But don't say I included buzzwords to attract people who wanted those buzzwords.**

**And to the rational readers out there who have nice hearts, did I really violate some rule? Because if so I'll change it immediately. Thank you, and I wish you good health,**

**Pad**


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Spread Your Wings**

Naruto snorted softly as the Bullhead lifted off the ground, watching with happy eyes as Ruby and Yang waved goodbye to Taiyang, who was waving at them. He grumbled slightly at the unfairness of the trip; instead of taking the Bullhead directly to Beacon, they had to go to Vale, and from there catch a ride in another air vehicle (of which he forgot the name). They were going to meet all the other students there, and Naruto couldn't deny he was interested to see them. Since Ruby and Yang were both around Genin level, and Ruby was two years younger than Yang, he couldn't wait to see all the other Huntsmen applicants. Besides, Beacon might have some knowledge about Space-Time techniques hidden from the public which could help him get home.

While he mused on this, Yang was busy brushing her hair. Perfection like that didn't come without a lot of work; if she left it to do whatever, it would get all streaky, sort of like her Uncle's.

Ruby was happily eating a chocolate bar, munching away on it as she browsed her weapons magazines, in which was cunningly hidden another book. Her eyes darted across the page, glimmering with unshed tears as she read the poetic glory from within;

"When I saw you there,

With radiant hair and golden eyes

So pure, I felt your hand

Fall down my face, framing

Me with an ethereal grace

Touching more than just

My visage.

You touched my heart,

And purged from it the sewage

Of years of loneliness."

Her eyes misted as she mentally whined; 'Why is this so goooooooood!'

Her eyes darted even faster, the shine of her silver eyes accentuated by the tears yet to fall as she fell into romantic poetry.

Naruto sighed once more, gazing out over the sea as they flew. It would take a while to get to Vale, and now he could appreciate the sea. Honestly, he thought, it would be nice to fly more often.

'I've gotten the ability to fly, but I've never just… flown. Maybe I'll do that later…' he thought, before reaching for his notebook. 'While I'm here, I should work more on my weapon. Maybe use Creation of All Things to make it… Could be Naruto's Treasured Tools! The cloak, the fan, and…' he started to muse about another tool he could make, until he'd make five.

...what? He felt like living up to the Sage. 'Besides, why did the Sage make five tools when he was the Sage of the Six Paths?!' Naruto thought to himself, 'It makes no sense. He'd only need to make one more! Just one! Then he'd have six tools for his six paths!'

After a few minutes, Naruto decided to just make tools when it suited him. 'It wouldn't do to make all six tools now and then never use them later.' he nodded sagely, feeling wise. 'But I do need a weapon, so I'll make the Gunbai that Kurama suggested.'

Slowly itching to the back of the Bullhead, Naruto realized there was nowhere for him to hide while he made it.

'I'll make it in Vale…' he thought with a mental sweatdrop, with the Tailed Beasts lowly taunting him in the back of his mind. He groaned, clutching at his head. This Yang took note of, sidling up next to him.

"You good whiskers?" she asked, causing him to groan even louder. He looked at her, with annoyance clearly clouding his face.

"Yang, don't call me that. Bad… bad memories." he explained, with Yang nodding quickly, misinterpreting his mood as Faunus related racism.

'Can't blame him… I'd be pissed if people called me blondie… or broad. Maybe I should stop giving nicknames… Nah!' she decided then and there that she'd call him Whiskers, and make him like the name. She smiled brightly at him, slinging her arm over his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Whiskers! I'll call you by your real name!" Naruto merely groaned in response, leaning back and closing his eyes. By this point they'd nearly travelled halfway there, and Ruby had taken notice of the conversation. Deciding she wanted to be a part of it, she used her Semblance to zip over to them. Landing just opposite of Naruto, she happily munched on her chocolate, tucking her book back into her Shinobi Pouch. Naruto, seeing this, was instantly reminded of Kakashi, and teared up a bit. Quickly wiping them away, Naruto smiled at her.

"What were you reading, Ruby?" her eyes widened imperceptibly, as she struggled to find an answer.

"Ohh, you know, a weapons magazine… It's really really cool!" she answered, the lie obvious to none, least of all Yang who considered weapons to be the focus of Ruby's world. Naruto's eyes brightened as he heard her mention weapons.

"Oh! Could I have a look at it? I'm going to…" he trailed off, realizing that he couldn't very well say he was going to make it when they got to Vale…

"Ohhh! You're designing a weapon?!" she cried out in excitement. While she wasn't as obsessed with weapons as Yang believed (thank the Brothers, it was almost like Yang thought she was Gun Sexual), she still loved them almost as much as cookies.

Naruto nodded, showing her his notebook to her. Ruby's eyes roamed the page, slowly becoming more and more downcast, before she looked at him, the death of her soul evident within her now dull gray eyes.

"What… is this?" she asked, her voice empty and void. Naruto glanced at her with concern.

"What do you mean? This is…" and looking at the page, he realized that his list of weapon ideas were still on it. Next to them were random scribbles that he'd drawn, barely realizing that he'd drawn things he'd seen with the Sharingan. Most notably was the picture of the seal on Obito's stash in the Kamui Dimension, which covered lots of the page.

"Ohhh, those are just random doodles! Nothing important about them!" he said, smiling a little too wide as he covered the image of Kaguya leering at him with his hand. Ruby nodded slowly, before looking at the list.

"Well, honestly, I'm really confused. Who's Shark Face?" she asked, and Naruto had to really think about it.

"Well… he was a dude who looked like… was a shark Faunus." he said, "And he had a big sword called Sharkskin, which could drain.. Aura when it hit you." Ruby nodded, before throwing in her two cents.

"Well, I don't know how you'd do that. We have no way of taking Aura without a Semblance, so it was probably his Semblance and not his sword that did that…" she mumbled, thinking to herself. Naruto decided it was time to point out that he'd already decided.

"I already have the weapon, it's waiting in Vale," he lied, "I'm just thinking about attachments or upgrades I could give it."

Ruby nodded, before asking the important question. "And you chose the lightning sword right?" Naruto looked at her like she was insane.

"Hell no! Lightning's like the worst thing for me to use! All my best moves stop it easily!" he exclaimed, before pointing at the Gunbai entrance on the list. "I've got that!" he declared.

Ruby sighed loudly. "Madara's Weird Guitar Shaped Thingy? What does that even mean?!" she cried out, exasperated. Naruto quickly waved his hands in front of his face, attempting to diffuse the situation the way you would a fire. By flapping your hands as fast as your mouth.

"It's a war fan! It blows blasts of wind out of it! Look, you can see it when we get to Vale, OK?" he said, trying to calm her. Ruby agreed, but had a warning.

"I swear that if this is a guitar I'm not going to be impressed. Even if you can play it. Even if it sounds really good… even if…" she trailed off, imagining Naruto playing a guitar before shaking the ridiculous image from her head. She can't picture him playing the guitar. Scratch that, she can't picture ANY thin blond boy playing the guitar, ever. Naruto smiled though.

"Nah, I can't play the guitar. But it does have some tricks that you'll find most useful, someday." he winked. Right as he snapped his notebook shut, effectively closing the conversation, the Bullhead touched down in Vale, with the doors opening a few seconds later. Naruto and Yang both hopped up and walked out, and Ruby waited a few seconds before shaking her head.

'Come on Rubes, don't think about the tricks… don't think about the tricks…' she recited in her head as she darted from the Bullhead. As they left the Bullhead loading area, they moved quickly to the Airship loading area, zeroing in on the Airship that flies to Beacon. Naruto glanced about, looking at all the passengers that travelled across Vale. He could see so many different people, and a few Faunus too! Honestly it was awesome! He could scarcely understand all the mechanics and technology that must've gone into building this place! However, he wasn't so stunned as to forget his mission. Clearing his throat loudly, Ruby glanced at him as Yang lugged her heavy bags across the ground, stopping for breaks every couple of steps.

"I just need to pick up my weapon, I'll be back in like… 10 minutes? Tops? If I'm not, just go down that alley there." he pointed one out on the other side of the airfield. "That's where I'm picking it up. If I'm not there… please explain what happened to Ozpin as best you can." Ruby nodded, before asking him if he wanted her to go with him.

"Heh, no that's fine. I shouldn't take long, I'm only saying this just in case." she nodded, worried but willing to trust him with this. And with that, he ran across the airfield, zipping into the alleyway after narrowly avoiding the people unloading large white containers with a snowflake on them. Sitting down, he lowered his hands and began to focus.

'OK, so you guys said that my intent shapes what I create… what should I focus on?' he asked. The clamour however proved too much for him, and Naruto closed his eyes in pain before yelling into his mindscape, his mental voice echoing like the roar of the Ten Tails.

'Quiet! I can't even think when you're all yelling!' The Tailed Beasts quieted down, and Naruto mused aloud, his voice amused and at the same time, filled with childish glee.

"OK, so I think to keep suspicion down I won't give it any special properties. This time I'll make it completely normal." he decided, his voice firm despite his desire to create the greatest weapon ever. Closing his eyes, he breathed out slowly, channeling the power of the Tailed Beasts as it coalesced into a shimmering blue cloud. Glowering down at it, Naruto began to channel Nature Energy into the mix, creating a deep green effect. The shape grew more pronounced as he struggled to not allow too much Chakra into the Gunbai.

* * *

Slowly opening his eyes, Naruto moaned aloud as he rose to his feet.

"Did I pass out again?..." he asked, glancing at the sun. Fortunately, it was roughly in the same place as before, so less than thirty minutes had passed, leaving him with more than enough time to get to the Airship. However, a voice answered him, causing his thoughts to halt and double back.

"Yes. I found you asleep here after hearing a loud humming." he heard a voice say, obviously female by the sound. Glancing around, he saw a wavy black haired girl with a bow atop her head, and amber eyes barely looking at him as she asked the question with her voice quite obviously bored. Naruto was honestly unsure how to proceed. However, his Master had instructed him in the art of first impressions, and so far he had yet to lead him wrong (except for when it came to peeking, but that was unavoidable).

"Why hello there! You can write me love letters later! I'm Naruto, nice ta meet'cha!" he said, already regretting it when she finally looked at him, disgust evident on her face. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he was wearing stained sweatpants and a large white hoodie with a yellow smiley face on it, which still had ramen noodles stuck to it, or maybe Jiraiya wasn't a suave as he'd been told (by Jiraiya, of course).

…

…

It was probably Jiraiya. No one could resist ramen. No one. Smiling at her, Naruto hopped to his feet, and she slowly backed away, before turning and running out of the alley.

"See ya!" Naruto called after her, before looking down at his newest creation (besides his reputation with the girl that is). His eyes widened to almost comical proportions.

"Awwww yeah! This is so coool!" he cried out, reaching down and picking it up. The shaft was simple, and covered in white wrappings, while the actual fan part was a deep burnt orange colour, bordering on red. At each rounded point at the tip of the fan rested three black tomoe, which he wasn't too fond of but he supposed that it was fitting. However, the part that made him really happy was that black accents along the edges, and the black fabric wrapped around the middle of the Gunbai, which had the Uzumaki spiral emblazoned proudly on the center on both sides of the Gunbai. Twirling it experimentally in his hands, Naruto was satisfied with the fan as he twisted it into a shield, before swinging it like a blade. Naruto smiled with the results as a small slice of wind extended from it, carving a slight groove into the herringbone patterned ground.

'If it did that when I wasn't even trying, I wonder what it'll do when I am?' he thought, before quickly sealing the Gunbai into his storage seal in his Shinobi Pouch.

'That's the last one… I should get some more, or at least learn how to make them while I'm here… Maybe Obito could get me some supplies…" he thought to himself as he left the alley, maneuvering towards the Beacon Airship. Leaping up the stairs three at a time, he entered the viewing area, and looked around for Ruby and Yang.

'Let's see… Yang's easier to spot cause she's… Yang. Where is she?' looking about, he noticed a tall person with blonde hair. Swerving through the crowd (who all looked at him with disgust, though he didn't notice it) he neared Yang. However, after getting past a tall guy with orange hair (sooo coool, he thought to himself), he discovered it wasn't Yang, just a blonde guy in some armour who looked like he was about to puke.

...aaaaaand he did. Great.

**AN:**

**Well, I'm not dead. The COVID has yet to fell me. Here's a short chapter, I didn't feel like writing this because I'm dealing with a lot of annoying school stuff (like most people) but I felt like you all might need something during these horrible times. So here's a really short chapter, just to maybe perk some people up. Naruto has his weapon, and he's finally on his way to Beacon. Next chapter will be the whole ballroom scene, and pre initiation, introducing Jaune (who, just here, I'm going to say I don't think gets airsick. I think he was overwhelmingly nervous about his transcripts being discovered, since he doesn't show it anywhere else, until Atlas in 'As Above, So Below', where I think he was nervous because they were going to fight a literal army of Grimm, and the airship they were in was attacked by something flying).**

**Anyways, enough with that rant! Thank you all for your support, especially with answering my question from last time! Glad to hear I didn't break any rules!**

**I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank Wind Dragon Master. Your comments are always insightful, constructive and helpful; I'm sincerely glad you're reading my story, and appreciate all the work and time you spend on writing your comments.**

**Another person I'd like to thank is TheSlySage. You've been reading my story since it's inception, and always have said kind and thoughtful things to me. So you have my sincerest thanks, and gratitude.**

**But of course, it wouldn't be an Author's Note without some clarification for issues people had with the last chapter! So here we go;**

**I read a few complaints about Naruto ignoring the Tailed Beasts warnings about giving Chakra. I think I should point out that Naruto is completely mistaken about Aura. He doesn't have any idea what it is, and is simply imposing his current world view on what he THINKS it is. He didn't give Ruby Chakra, or awaken her own Chakra system (because she doesn't have one). This may or may not turn into a major plot point in the future, but as of now, Naruto in fact didn't do anything beyond infuse her with his own Chakra, thereby granting it's natural regenerative properties to her for a short time, jumpstarting whatever the HELL powers Silver Eyes.**

**Also, I've had a few PMs about how Naruto should be more up in arms about the White Fang.**

…

**Whatever. I personally feel like they're an overdone plot piece, and one that's not actually a big deal. Naruto wouldn't care about them, at least not yet.**

**Anyways, thanks for reading the latest chapter, and peace out! I'll be starting a new story soon that I'm not sure will do well, but it'll be a RWBY only fic. Please tell me how you like my poem, I think I should have put more work into it but hey, I'm a lazy son of a bitch.**

**-Pad**


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Lightspire's Spherechamber, pt.1**

Naruto smiled broadly, although his smile was forced as he could smell the horrid stench of vomit oozing up from the floor. Patting the blond guy on the back, he decided to try and make conversation.

"You know, in a world where we're going to fight monsters, that would be quite the lethal attack." True to form, the other guy snorted a slight laugh, turning to look at Naruto. Then his eyes widened as he saw Naruto.

"Hey! You look like me!" he exclaimed, all traces of sickness vanishing. For now. Naruto squinted at him, before shaking his head.

"Nah, don't see it." he mumbled lowly, the smell of ramen spewing directly into the face of his new compatriot, who winced and turned a little green. However, he managed to keep his puke down this time, and merely leaned away.

"Well, either way it's nice to meet you! My name's Jaune, Jaune Arc. What's your's?" the newly revealed Jaune asked, pleasantly reaching out to grasp Naruto's hand. Naruto smiled broadly. Finally someone who seemed completely normal!

"My name's Naruto Uzumaki; known far and wide as-" before Naruto can get into his Jiraiya-esque introduction (considering how poorly the last one went, he decided to go for the legendary Toad Sage introduction this time) Kurama belted out a whine through his mind.

"**Naruto, if you finish that sentence I'll kill everyone on this ship."** Naruto paled instantly, stopping his introduction before it could begin, and smiling awkwardly as Jaune blinked at him.

"What was that?" Jaune asked, a small smile creeping it's way onto his face. Naruto rubbed the back of his head self consciously, realizing how completely unprofessional he must look with his clothes that he'd… found in downtown Vale. They belonged to someone, but he needed more clothes than just his Akatsuki cloak; even though Nagato had had impeccable style, it stood out a bit too much. Only now did he realize that sweatpants and an old stained hoodie (which was about five sizes too large) probably made him stand out more.

"Well, my Master used to introduce himself like that, and I nearly did the same." Naruto explained, noticing Jaune was still looking at him quizzically.

Jaune nodded slowly. "Oh, that makes sense. Why'd you stop though? Do you not like his… introduction?" Naruto smiled brittly. He'd never gotten the opportunity to do the legendary introduction, and despite his original disdain for it, had grown rather fond of it, and could acknowledge it's uses. For one, impressing a few while convincing the stronger people he was a weak show-off.

"Well, I just realized that it would be a bit much for right now. Maybe I'll do it later." he tried to explain. 'When Kurama won't threaten to kill everyone… come on buddy, can't I do it later?'

"**Gahh, fine. If you're going to do it though, do it properly. That means an audience, and actually doing something. He summoned toads, and since we can't summon them here, you're going to need to do something as well."**

Naruto nodded happily, already knowing what he was going to do. Jaune cocked his head, bemused.

"Did you just agree with yourself?" he asked, amusement also ringing with his voice. Naruto's eyes widened, before he nodded.

"Uhh, yeah. It's a nervous tic." he tried to explain. Jaune nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I have those too. When I get super nervous I get dizzy." Naruto nodded, before continuing.

"And couple that with the Airship moving you puked?"

Jaune thought for a few moments before deciding that it was fine to talk. "Nah. I'm just really REALLY nervous! I don't usually get airsick… I'm just stressed about going to Beacon, you know?" Naruto shrugged. He'd been personally invited, and hadn't really heard much about Beacon, so he wasn't that awed and thrilled by this opportunity. Honestly, he was only here to get Ruby into Beacon, then find a way home. Remnant had to have some Space-Time manipulation technology! I mean, they'd learned how to harness crystals and fly!

"Well, that's fine. Don't worry. You'll do great! After all, you must be pretty badass already to be here!" he grinned and gave Jaune a thumbs up. Curiously, this seemed to only depress Jaune.

"Yeah… tough warrior, badass fighter. I got this." he gave a weak cheer, before turning around and promptly vomiting.

'Of course he would…' Naruto thought, his eye twitching. Jaune had just vomited all over Yang. Of course. This was going to be a pain. His eyes narrowed as he saw Yang's turn red, her hair dripping with vomit.

'Crap.'

* * *

After a long and drawn out explanation, and holding back Yang as Jaune apologized profusely, they realized that there was a message playing. They unfortunately only caught the tail-end of it.

"-experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world." They watched as she flickered out of existence, at this point merely prompting the lifting of a single eyebrow for Naruto. He was becoming accustomed to the fancy technology of the world of Remnant. Turning to the others, he asked them the all important question.

"Did we miss something important?"

As the Airship touches down, they naturally follow the procession down onto Beacon's grounds. Naruto glances around, and is happy to see he doesn't need to hide his awe. Everyone appeared stunned by the grandiose… well, castle that stretched before them! He could see the tower looming above the rest of the Academy, appropriately shining brightly, probably the namesake of Beacon. Or it was built after the Academy was named…

Either way, he wandered off the Airship, looking around at the rest of the people. Some were carrying their weapons; however most were not. But he noticed Yang hurriedly whispering to Ruby. Seeing Ruby grow more and more panicked, he closed in just in time to hear Yang's parting words:

"See ya sis!" and with that she was whisked away by her friends. Naruto frowned. He'd thought she'd stick with Ruby, especially after her conversation she'd had with Taiyang. However, his quick eye noticed her glance at him and nod towards Ruby. Nodding back, he walked over to Ruby and steadied her before she could fall over. Ruby looked over at him, and her face lit up.

"Oh, Naruto! Where should we go? Yang left and I don't think I'll have many friends here, I mean I'm a whole two years younger than everyone else and I mean I think that-" Naruto cut her off, his voice firm.

"Ruby, you'll be fine. You have me, you have Yang," 'When she's here that is.' "And-" and he leaned out, catching Jaune by the arm and dragging him towards them from the herd.

"And you have Jaune! Jaune, this is Ruby Rose. She took care of me when I first arrived in Vale, and it's partially because of her I'm here at Beacon." Jaune nodded at her, his face open and smiling, causing Ruby to also smile back at him, feeling more comfortable already. Looking between Naruto and Jaune, she struck a thinking pose.

"Are you two related? You look almost exactly the same! If you had spikier hair," she gestured at Jaune, before gesturing at Naruto, "And if you had blue eyes, you'd look almost the exact same! Well, minus the whiskers!" Jaune and Naruto looked at each other, with Naruto frowning.

'I forgot I lost my eyes… next time I see Obito I'm giving his back. Hopefully Sakura still has mine… if she didn't lose them.' he thought bitterly, before recalling Sakura had perished. He felt his eyes tear up; despite his light annoyance he felt about Sakura, she was still his teammate, and he was still not sure how to react to her death. At the very least, he hoped his eyes had been saved before she went the way of the bucket. He enjoyed having the Sharingan, make no mistake, they were very useful, but he couldn't help but think that the Sharingan was a bloodline bathed in blood, and not one he really wanted.

Jaune smiled brightly. "I know right! He looks just like me!" Naruto shook himself, reconnecting to the conversation.

"Well, Jaune, what kind of fighter are you? Judging by the sword and armour you're a frontliner?" Naruto changed the subject, slouching backwards in a manner reminiscent of Kakashi, his hands in his pockets. Jaune smiled, although there wasn't much happiness in it, and drew his sword.

"Yeah. This is my sword and this is my shield." He then popped his sheath into a shield, causing Naruto to look at him, impressed.

"That's useful; but do you think the shield can actually block attacks from bigger Grimm? What's it made of?" Ruby asked, intrigued by the shield more so than the sword. Jaune shrugged.

"Both of these are family heirlooms, so I'm not sure. But it's been around since the Great War, so I think it's probably pretty durable, considering it's never needed polishing." he said, actually sounding like he knew something with confidence. Naruto could instantly pick up on it; Jaune knew about his family heirlooms and their history, that was for sure.

"Well, I'm impressed. I just picked up my weapon in Vale actually!" Naruto said, causing Ruby to zip over to him, bouncing on her feet.

"Ohhhhh! Let me see! Let me see!" she squealed, excited beyond belief. Naruto had asked for some help making augmentations to it, and she could hardly wait to see what she had to work with. Even if it was a guitar.

Naruto, keen to show off the weapon that worked best with his Wind Affinity, leapt into the air, unsealing his Gunbai at the same time and landing on top of it, holding into the pole for balance as he stood on the fan blades. Ruby was impressed, Jaune was awed, and both had questions.

"How'd you make it appear in that puff of smoke?!" demanded Ruby, eyes glued to the Uzumaki swirl boldly contrasting the black silk band wrapped around the middle. For some reason she felt like it belonged to Naruto, although she couldn't place why.

Jaune however, was confused about something else. "OK, I'm stumped. What is it?" he asked, awe still filling his voice. Naruto stood proudly atop it, the extra five feet granted by the fan augmenting his less-than impressive stature of five foot, nine inches. However, with his head peaking above ten feet off the ground, he was definitely impressive. Of course, it was all undercut by his horrid homeless attire.

However, Naruto was happy to engage in his third favourite pastime: bragging. And with a deep breath, he began.

"Well, I made it appear using secret arts of my village, that must be learned from the great scholars and Sage's that taught me what I know!" In reality he purchased them at a discount used scroll store, "And this, my fine new friend, is a war fan, or Gunbai! Once used by my worst enemy, I have adopted this weapon to myself, to make it fight for the cause of righteousness and good!" Once more, he chose it because it fitted his Affinity, and because it would bolster his defence, not because it had any inherent combat value. In fact, he was probably better without it, but it would pay to keep his talent under wraps. Wouldn't want to be made a teacher!

Naruto shuddered at the thought. He wasn't cut out to be a teacher! Although… last time he was in school he didn't learn because no one wanted to teach him… here he was probably stronger than even the Headmaster, so he didn't really need to learn much in combat class…

While he was thinking, Jaune nodded, before addressing Ruby. "Have you ever heard of a Gunbai? And why does he keep stopping in the middle of talking?" Ruby shrugged.

"I think he's thinking about something that requires his full attention. Naruto's really talented at combat, and sneaky. So if it requires his full concentration to think about something, it's most likely something very VERY important." she nodded wisely. Jaune on the other hand sweatdropped.

'I think you have a little too much faith in this guy…' he thought as a breeze knocked Naruto over, who, due to being lost in thought, did in fact faceplant on the ground. Groaning, he lifted his head off the ground.

"Kurama, am I dead?" he moaned aloud, causing Ruby and Jaune to giggle briefly before helping him up. Naruto groaned before sealing away his Gunbai, making a note to buy some orange paint to cover the tomoe on it. While they were stylish, they reminded him too much of Madara. And honestly, they also reminded him of Orochimaru, who'd had banners with tomoe on them all over his hideouts. Grunting, Naruto shook Jaune and Ruby off of him.

"Mm' fine. Leggo." they let him go with a laugh, although Jaune seemed a bit worried about him. He could feel a bruise forming on his face, and a bit of blood dripped from his nose before he regenerated the injury. Walking down a path, they talked for a while longer about all they wanted to do, and why they were at Beacon. Jaune, Ruby and Naruto discovered, wanted to live up to his family name, which Naruto could empathize with. He had felt like he needed to live up to his father when he found out that the Fourth was his dad. Fortunately, he felt like he'd done so. Jaune however was still developing, and Naruto was glad to see that he was trying so hard. Ruby wanted to be a Huntress because she wanted to slay monsters, and save the world. She wanted to be a hero. Naruto was honestly happy with that. It seemed like Remnant would be in good hands after he left. And when they questioned him, he said that he was here to further some research, and left it at that. Of course, they were intrigued by his answer and asked what he was researching, and Naruto decided to humour them, and see if they'd heard of anything that could help. Jaune had no idea what a Semblance was, which worried Naruto greatly, but he brushed it off. Ruby had heard of people who could teleport, but time manipulation was something she'd only heard of in stories.

"No, Space-Time techniques are abilities that let you teleport, and manipulate time I guess…" Naruto considered the possibilities, before shaking his head. "I need to study teleportation, and such. Maybe there's a technology that does it." Ruby was sceptical, but open to the idea while Jaune, who didn't seem to know much about Hunters but a lot about computers, said that it was probably impossible.

"I mean, the best stuff we can create is with Dust, which means we're also limited in what we can create. We're confined to using the Dust we have, of which there's only four basic types." Naruto nodded at this; it seemed a lot like Affinities, except there were only four types… Fire, Ice, Earth and Lightning. He was intrigued that Wind wasn't a natural occuring Dust type.

As their conversation evolved, and they began to talk about their pasts, Ruby found both Naruto and Jaune were hesitant to speak too much about their pasts.

"Seriously? You guys don't want to talk at all about your families?!" she demanded. Jaune winced, before glancing at Naruto, who looked amused by Ruby's anger. Jaune quickly snapped his head back towards Ruby, who was glowering at him as hard as she could.

"Well, I have seven sisters, and-" and before he can say anything else, Ruby's already blanched.

"S-seven?" she asked, fear in her voice. Jaune nodded.

"Yeah, seven. And yes, a lot of them are like your sister." Ruby quickly hugged him, pity literally pouring out of her face. Jaune sighed.

"Yeah." After a few seconds, he began to grow uncomfortable. "Uhh, Ruby? Why don't we… hear about Naruto's family?!" he suggested, trying to squeeze out of her arms. After he made his suggestion, Ruby popped off of him like a limpet, and turned towards Naruto, who shrugged.

"I'm an orphan. I don't have any siblings. I only met my parents once." he grunted, not really wanting to get into the details with what was basically a new friend and an acquaintance. Jaune flinched when he heard Naruto was an orphan, and sympathetically believed that Naruto didn't want to talk about it.

So when Ruby asked, "Ohhh, how'd they die?" he felt like smashing his head into the ground. Couldn't she see this was a sensitive topic?!

Naruto stopped walking, and turned to look at her. "My parents were both stabbed through the chest by a massive claw when I was a baby, the day I was born." he said shortly. Ruby nodded sadly.

"My mum died when I was small too. She went on a mission and never came back." Naruto tensed, worried that he'd caused her distress. Quickly glancing at her, he calmed when he saw only lingering sadness on her face; the same that he'd seen in so many other orphans in the Leaf. Once, he'd worn that face. One that was resolute in action, but fearful and alone. He immediately decided, no, it wasn't a decision.

It was instinct.

He didn't want to see that look on her face ever again.

* * *

After talking for an indistinct amount of time, eventually Jaune asked a very important question;

"Do.. either of you know where we're going?" he asked, a nervous tremor in his voice. Naruto shrugged.

"I thought you guys did." he said, a questioning tone at the end of his voice. Ruby squawked, freaking out.

"Oh my Gods are we late please don't say we're late AHHHHH!" she screamed, before running back to the loading area. Naruto, seeing her run, patted Jaune on the shoulder.

"Good luck keeping up." he winked, and then he was off, completely not running at all. In fact, he seemed to be walking slower. Jaune raised an eyebrow, confused.

"What do you mean? You're not moving that fast." he pointed out.

Naruto sighed in resignation. "If I'm later than you and Ruby, the fact that you guys are late will be less noticeable. Besides, don't worry. I've got a plan." he grinned, the grin full of glee, none of it hidden from Jaune, who started to run, yelling after Ruby.

"Heeeyyy! Ruby! Wait uuuuup!" he yelled, chasing after the vanishing red dot (fortunately she hadn't used her Semblance, probably because she expected them to catch up to her). Naruto sighed, a smile on his face.

"Just like back at the Academy."

* * *

Ruby and Jaune belted into the auditorium; fortunately it hadn't been too hard to find. It was basically situated in the foyer under Beacon Tower (there were also little signs hanging up leading from the loading area to it). Panting and gasping for air, Jaune looked at Ruby who appeared completely fine.

"How-" pant, "are you-" gasp, "not completely" wheeeeze, "exhausted?!" he demanded, doubled over and panting. Ruby looked at him oddly.

"Well, I thought you were fit enough to run that… most Huntsmen and Huntresses in training can manage that pretty easily." Jaune winced, leaning backwards and popping his back with a groan.

"Oh." he said, his voice bland and devoid of any meaningful emotion. Their conversation was interrupted by Yang, who called out to Ruby.

"Ruby! Over here! I saved you a spot!" Ruby did a little happy dance, before looking around for Naruto.

"Do you know where Naruto is?" she asked Jaune, who was still groaning. Waving his hands, Jaune answered her with short pants in between words.

"He said he was going to make an entrance…" he gasped out, causing Ruby to cock an eyebrow.

"He hasn't done anything like this before… he's usually so serious. I wonder what he's going to do?" she wondered aloud. Yang once more called her over.

"Ruby! Did you hear me? I saved you a spot!" she yelled, causing some other applicants to give her annoyed looks. Ruby sighed, before bidding Jaune farewell.

"Well, that's my sister!" Before she left, she took a second to think. "Would you like to come stand with us?" she asked, deciding it would be mean to abandon Jaune on his own. Jaune smiled happily, joy covering his face momentarily.

"Thanks Ruby! That'd be great!" he followed her over to Yang, who glared at him.

"Puke Face." she greeted frostily, causing Ruby to flinch. Jaune however, laughed sheepishly.

"Sorry about that?" he said again, contrite. Yang took this moment to glance around, looking for Naruto.

"Where's Whiskers?" she cupped her chin, thinking aloud. Both Ruby and Jaune shrugged.

"He said he wanted to make an entrance." Jaune said, his voice betraying his cluelessness about Naruto's plan.

Suddenly, a large cloud of colourful smoke loudly poofed into existence on the stage at the end of the auditorium, drawing the attention of all the students in the room (as well as the teachers flanking the doors, who were confused). A voice began to echo forth from the concealing cloud, it's rich bass tones rendering the room spellbound.

"Known far and wide from south, to east, to west and the icy north, and even amongst the heavens beyond the stars, I am the legendary Toad Sage! Inheritor of the Six Paths and companion of titans, I call them forth!" With that, the smokescreen was blown away with a gust of wind, showing Naruto standing proudly in his Akatsuki cloak, and wearing a horned headband with an odd symbol on it. Jaune absentmindedly noted that his Gunbai wasn't there- and he had to take a double take. Naruto had blown away the smokescreen with a large, scaly looking tail covered in purple patterns and spots. It flourished about him as he continued his speech, his eyes glowing in a golden nimbus like effect with a cross overlaying it.

"Shukaku!" he cried, the tail brandishing itself above him.

"Matatabi!" he bellowed, a fiery blue tail surging out to join Shukaku's.

"Isobu!" he intoned, a flat tail covered in armoured plates exploding to join the others.

"Son Goku!" a red furred tail sprung out with odd spikes trailing along the spinal cord.

"Kokuo!" another tail, this one a brilliant white with a golden tip twirled amongst it's brethrens.

"Saiken!" he howled, a slimy appendage oozing out to join the rest, prompting some flinches from the crowd.

"Chomei!" a shining yellow tail swung out, trailing lazily in the air.

"Gyuki!" a long octopus tentacle erupted forth, pushing him into the air to give the rest of the tails more room.

**"And Kurama!"** he roared, his cry accompanied by a large orange tail bursting forth, this one rapidly twining through the air; as Naruto stood above the rest of the students he found that for the first time since he discovered he could get home, he was happy and not distracted.

Of course, despite the awe, and in some cases disgust of the students, some had no appreciation for performance. As an applause rang out throughout the auditorium, coupled with some boos and jeers, Naruto felt an approaching doom from behind. Using his Gyuki tail to pivot, he saw Glynda Goodwitch marching towards him, riding crop clenched in a white fist.

'Uh oh.' he thought to himself, seeing Professor Ozpin smiling faintly behind her. 'She doesn't look happy…' with a flick of her crop, Naruto was sent careening into the student body, which tried as hard as they could to escape the rapidly approaching tails. Naruto quickly took stock of the situation, and with a grunt pulled the tails back within him. As he landed on the ground, and fell into a roll down the nice sizable (for a person without tails, at least) alley created by the fearful students. Coming to his feet, he looked about with a happy smile on his face, with most around him giving him wary looks.

'Eh, you win some you lose some.' he shrugged, before walking over to where he sensed Ruby. Quickly repelling his Sage Chakra back into the auditorium, he noted how the people around him calmed, and stopped giving him wary looks.

'The power of peaceful nature, eh…' he thought as Ruby walaid him. And thus began a long drawn out period of questions; too bad he couldn't listen to Professor Goodwitch… it probably wasn't important, he thought before beginning to completely ignore Ruby's questions in favour of looking around at the other students. Overall, his performance seemed to have had mixed effects. On one hand, most students seemed wary of his many tails, but bemused by his introduction. That in itself wasn't bad, but he'd hoped for a more positive reaction. Fortunately, nearly a third of the student body appeared to have been amused by it, with a small fraction of that (including Jaune) awed by his performance. All in all, he was glad he'd done it.

It reminded him of home.

**AN:**

**Wowza! Another chapter in a week-ish?! Obviously I've been forced to do this!**

**OK. Complaints about Naruto being OOC.**

…

…

**He just went through a war, and is having IMMENSE emotional and mental strains placed upon him. If you think he's being too much like an Uchiha, maybe you should wonder why most Uchiha turn out that way; their lives aren't exactly sunshine and rainbows. Naruto is behaving in an unhealthy manner because he is not in a good place. He's somewhere where telling people about his problems would CAUSE problems. And when people bottle up their emotions, they tend to become more cynical, darker, more prone to irrational behaviour, and scarily enough, more intelligent at times.**

**Now that that's done, I hope that people can see he's not just an OC Uchiha I've shafted into this story hoping that the 'Naruto' name will carry him to success.**

**What do you think of his introduction? Honestly, I'm feeling giddy thinking about all the backlash that can come of it! He basically became nine Faunus at once! Ohhhhh, so much racism! I can hardly wait! It was sort of in commemoration of Jiraiya (if you couldn't tell) and you'll learn about the headband in the next chapter! For now, sit tight, stay safe, and please don't PM me about how much you hate my story. Honestly, you have better things to do, don't you? Like, go to a YouTube comments section. Then you might be listened to instead of me just deleting your message ;)**


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:** **Beacon's Ballroom, pt.2**

Naruto woke himself with a yawn. After their previous day, they'd been herded into the Ballroom, and their gear taken to Initiate's Lockers for the next day. He'd not bothered, even though most students had given him a wide berth. He'd managed to find a little nook, away from most of the other people he knew so that they wouldn't get flak for knowing him. It turned out most people didn't like his introduction. Meh. They just couldn't understand art!

He blanched at that. 'Am I becoming like… ponytail dude?!' he asked himself, eyes widening. Shaking the stupor off of himself, he glanced at the clock hanging from the wall. It read 5 AM. So he had four hours to kill. Shrugging, he took his pillow (which had consisted of his cloak, rolled up into a bundle) and set out, holding it under his arm.

'Let's see… I have four hours till initiation starts. Technically, they never said we couldn't leave Beacon before then…' he thought to himself, grin splitting his face. Strolling out of the Ballroom, he had to glance a second time. Ozpin was waiting outside, a smile on his face and a cup of… after a few sniffs he identified it as coffee in his hand. With a nod, Ozpin greeted him.

"Good morning, Mr. Uzumaki. How are you this morning? Ready for initiation?" he asked, sipping his coffee. Naruto nodded warily, recalling his conversation with Taiyang and Qrow. If Ozpin knew he was planning on teaming up with Ruby, then he'd never let him near her. Call it obstinance, but apparently Ozpin didn't like letting other people's plans come to fruition, even if they didn't impact him.

"I'm doing great, Ozpin-Sensei." he greeted, causing Ozpin to smile happily.

"I see you're excluding the bow this time." he said genially, happy with Naruto's casual behaviour.

"Ah, you said I didn't need to." Naruto said warmly, easing up as Ozpin continued.

"Yes, and I'm glad you took my advice to heart. While it's always nice to be shown respect, I fear only Glynda will appreciate it; especially after yesterday."

Naruto tensed, which Ozpin noticed. "Now now, don't be alarmed. I was just curious about your… entrance yesterday. The last time we had a student make an entrance like that was one of our older students, Daebo Golden." Naruto cocked his head, curious.

"What'd he do?" he asked, tension completely gone. Ozpin noticed this, and was pleased to see that Naruto was no longer nervous.

"Well, he was the last one to actually go on stage. Oh, we have students try to impress the hordes fairly often, but most attempt it from the safety of the audience. Young Mr. Golden was simply the last to go on stage; using Fire and Ice Dust he created a large explosion, much like you, only far more destructive. When the smoke from the Fire Dust cleared, he'd scorched his name into the wall, and had used the Ice Dust to create a large statue of himself."

Naruto was impressed, that was beyond even what he'd done. However, Ozpin continued.

"Of course, he was not perfect. Unlike your display, his backfired on him. The Fire Dust had melted the back of the statue, and a few seconds after the smoke cleared it slid forwards off the stage." Naruto winced.

Ozpin continued, "And, all in all, his performance merely demonstrated that he could afford Dust, and knew how to use it, albeit not very well. Yours, on the other hand, was far more intriguing." he levelled his gaze at Naruto, who only now noticed his glasses were missing.

"Tell me, Mr. Uzumaki, who were the… titans you referenced, and what significance did they have with your… tails?" he inquired.

Naruto thought for a few seconds, before shrugging. Ozpin wouldn't believe the truth, so he might as well tell him that and then make something up. At the very least, it'd amuse him.

"I'm from another dimension, one where there are nine Tailed Beasts that were left by an old Sage to watch over the world. They all joined me, and sealed themselves within me. The names you heard yesterday were the names of the Tailed Beasts. They're called that because they each have different numbers of tails, from one to nine." he said, his voice dripping with amusement. Ozpin however, merely looked at him curiously.

"How… intriguing. And how did you end up here?" he humoured Naruto, who could tell Ozpin didn't believe him.

"Well, I accidently was blasted through a rift in Space-Time, that sent me flying through Timeless Space until I found a weak point in this dimension. I made it through, and appeared in the forest just a day before I met you." he finished, looking at Ozpin shrewdly.

Ozpin was thinking. Sure, the story was outlandish, and probably untrue, but honestly, he could easily find out.

"If you truly are from another dimension, you shouldn't have the same energy type as us, nor know the same language. How are you speaking with us, and how do you explain your Semblance?" he asked goodnaturedly. Naruto nodded, a frown on his face.

"Honestly, I'm confused about the language aspect myself. The only theory I have is that as the same species, we must have evolved similar languages… which is extraordinarily unlikely. Maybe there were travellers in the distant past that gave us the same foundation for language… at least, that's what Kokuo thinks. As for my Semblance, well… I don't have one. I don't even have Aura, at least, not the same way you do. Aura, from what I can tell is simply a shell composed of Yin Chakra encasing your Yang Chakra, whereas I have both entwined together." Ozpin frowned at that, looking closely at Naruto. Reaching out his hand to his shoulder, he paused briefly.

"May I?" After Naruto nodded, he touched his shoulder, feeling for his Aura. Frowning softly when he didn't feel it, he paused and checked himself. Shaking briefly, he withdrew his hand, a new look on his face. This was a look of trepidation.

"So. You really don't have Aura." he said, his voice bland. Naruto merely nodded, starting to worry that Ozpin might actually believe him.

'Wait, that's not necessarily a bad thing! Professor Ozpin might be able to help me get home!' he thought, suddenly excited. He'd been relying on the skills the Shinobi of his home used, but maybe Ozpin might be able to help immediately.

Ozpin mused to himself, his fingers tapping his cane rapidly. Suddenly turning, he began to walk away.

"Mr. Uzumaki, if you could follow me to my office, I believe we may be able to help one another." Naruto, a smile splitting his face, followed after Ozpin without a second thought.

* * *

After marching down some hallways, they'd come to an elevator that Ozpin opened. Naruto was a bit confused by it, as he'd never seen one before, but managed to hide his confusion behind a veneer of interest in the buttons inside. Ozpin pressed a button, with no label, just a green button with a gear insignia imprinted on it. Ozpin noticed Naruto's curiosity, and smiled.

"Yes, I'm afraid that it is there." Naruto gazed upon a gold bar, with **Port Fort** emblazoned boldly upon it. He shrugged, before asking what Port was.

"Ah, Professor Port is our Grimm Studies teacher here at Beacon. He's quite dedicated to his craft, although he does so love to… pontificate." Naruto looked at Ozpin, bemused. Ozpin caught on, and elaborated.

"He likes to tell stories about his past. While they aren't exaggerated, most students tend to ignore them." Naruto nodded, before the elevator dinged as they made it to the top floor. As the door slid open, Ozpin marched in, propping his cane up against his desk. Naruto looked around the office, noticing how despite the advanced technology, it reminded him quite a bit of the Hokage's office. Maybe all offices of leaders were the same, he mused as Ozpin sat down.

Once Ozpin was seated, he slipped his scroll onto his desk, creating a hologram above it. Swiping through files, he eventually reached one that he opened.

"Well Mr. Uzumaki, I'm afraid that this is all that the Kingdoms have on interdimensional travel." Glancing up at the file, Naruto looked over the file. After a few minutes, he looked at Ozpin quizzically.

"So there's only two recorded cases of people slipping into another dimension, and one of them was a Semblance that allowed someone to access an exact copy of your own, except no people? What did you even call that?" Ozpin nodded, opening a subfile.

"That was over fifty years ago, a young lady by the name of Phoebe Dax. She opened what came to be known as the Ethereal Dimension, or Plane if you will. It was an exact copy of our own, except she could pass through physical matter there as though they were mere clouds. She died after running out of Aura in said dimension, unable to return." Naruto swallowed audibly, nervous. Ozpin continued.

"And the other case is more what I was hoping you'd see." opening a new subfile, Naruto's eyes widened.

"This man corroborates your story. He apparently fell into our dimension from another, and also mentioned a void where space was… odd." Naruto nods, picking up where Ozpin left off.

"Yeah, my arm was like a kilometer long and I could see the side of my head. It was disgusting!" Ozpin hummed, intrigued.

"Well, suffice to say this man didn't have Aura either, although I doubt he came from your dimension. His name was Annatar, and he gave us a few trinkets before he attempted to depart. While his first attempt was unsuccessful, his second may have borne fruit, as he vanished and never returned."

"How did he try the second time?!" Naruto demanded, steel in his voice. Ozpin cocked an eyebrow, not showing offense at Naruto's demand.

"Well, that's where I'm afraid this becomes a bit of a bother. He never documented his process, he simply acted until he succeeded. All I can tell you is that he attempted this feat right here, on Beacon's grounds." Naruto nodded once more, strained and impatient. However, Ozpin wasn't finished.

"I have a new offer for you, if you're interested." Naruto sighed, sagging.

"What do you want?" he asked tiredly.

Ozpin smiled warmly, his hands steepled beneath his chin. "Judging by your… tale, I suppose it is, you are far beyond what a normal student would be." Naruto looked at Ozpin, curious.

"And what makes you think that I'm beyond them?" Naruto asked, waiting for Ozpin's take. Maybe he sensed his Chakra when he touched his shoulder… Naruto pondered grimly.

Ozpin smiled again. "Mainly deduction, I assure you. You were sent careening into a new dimension, and, judging by your curiosity, are unsure how to get home. This tells me that whatever sent you here was an uncommon occurrence in your world, one that you and no one else has been prepared for. Now, seeing your combat ability, or at least a fraction of it, tells me that you can easily combat Roman Torchwick. And if you can fight a lower level Huntsman with ease, then that tells me that whoever you were fighting that could defeat you, and then utilize an ability that you and yours were unaware of, is without a doubt stronger than most of my own Huntsmen. And if that is the case, then I presume you'd be stronger than a mere student, especially a First Year. Am I wrong?"

Naruto was gobsmacked. Ozpin's logic, while fallible in some parts, was not wrong. There were spots where he could have definitely been wrong, but he wasn't. Needless to say, Naruto was wary once more.

"...Yes. You're right." Naruto admitted, seeing no point in concealing. While the Shinobi Way was to hide as much information as possible, Naruto was sure that would only put Ozpin on the alert for more deceptions. Much better to let him think he was willing to reveal all.

"Well, in light of that, I've decided you must be wasted as a student here. If you would, I'm willing to either offer you your Huntsman License now, and send you on your way, or…" he slowed, looking for Naruto's reaction.

"I can make you a teacher here at Beacon." he finished, causing Naruto's eyes to widen. Ozpin, seeing the look, decided to add on some more incentive.

"As a teacher here you'd have access to sensitive information and resources that as a student, you'd lack, and not have time to explore; and as a Huntsman you just wouldn't have the time to take advantage of, nor the ability due to your work in the field. So, would you like to work at my school?" Ozpin asked, a small smile on his face as he sipped his coffee.

Naruto was eager to agree. Even though he could see Ozpin had ulterior motives for this offer, it was still a good deal. He'd be able to research to his heart's content, and find a way home. Hell, he'd probably be able to get home in a few weeks at worst if he could collaborate with both the Shinobi and the Huntsmen circles! There was only one problem…

He'd promised Taiyang to join Ruby.

'Damn it Naruto, it's just one little promise, one that you didn't need to make! Ruby'll be fine, hell, Jaune can be her teammate! Then you can get home again, and not need to commit to four years of schooling!' he thought to himself, the Leaf nearly appearing before him, his desperation turning his thoughts towards home.

"**Naruto, what was your Nindo?"** he heard growl from his mind.

'Kurama, we could get home! We could be there so soon!' he said, pain echoing through his voice. The Tailed Beasts were silent, before Shukaku spoke up, his voice strangely absent of his trademark insanity.

"**Naruto, one of the things that Gaara always remembered most about you was your Nindo. If even he could remember it, you have no excuse for neglecting it."**

'But Shukaku, guys, I thought you'd want to go home?' Naruto asked, confusion and resentment filling his mental voice. Kurama bristled, but was hushed by the rest, before Gyuki spoke up.

"**Naruto, I long to see Bee again. Unfortunately, his incessant rapping has grown on me. But, bluntly, the Shinobi World was never our home. Ever since the Sage died we've been hunted, exploited and imprisoned."** Naruto made to interrupt, his passion awakened, but Gyuki spoke on. "**I know you say you'll change the world, and I believe you can do it. But for now, what matters isn't getting home. It's that when you get home you're still Naruto Uzumaki."**

"And Naruto Uzumaki doesn't go back on his word…" Naruto whispered to himself, prompting a look from Ozpin.

"Hmmm? Well Mr. Uzumaki? Would you like to take this offer?" he asked, the patience only accumulated with age showing in both his face and speech. Naruto sighed, defeated.

"I'm sorry, Professor Ozpin. But I'll have to turn you down." Ozpin's eyes widened, shock momentarily seeping through before he collected himself.

"I see. May I ask why? Surely you do not wish to stay here for the next four years?" he asked, his voice soft. Naruto sighed once more, slumping forwards.

"I've already made contact with my home, and they're trying to bring me back." Ozpin's eyes widened, before narrowing. "I have faith that they'll find a way home for me, and besides…" he hesitated, before deciding to throw all in. "I made a promise to help Ruby here."

Ozpin looked at him closely, before sighing. Standing up, he put down his coffee mug and walked to the window.

"I've seen countless aspiring students, Mr. Uzumaki." he began, his voice mellow, with a hint of melancholy touching every few words. "I've had bullies, I've had prodigies, and I've had those that only want to help others, and save the world. Every one of them would have taken me up on that offer." He turned back to Naruto, a smile on his face. And this time, Naruto could tell without a shadow of a doubt that it was genuine.

"But here you come in, a stranger from another world, with the exact attitude that I've looked for for-" Ozpin cut himself off, before recollecting himself, his voice sifting back into the bland look that Naruto now recognized as faint amusement, although he'd bet it was fake.

Ozpin continued. "Ah, well. I guess there's no use crying over spilled milk, as they say. So I might as well ask you this. Usually I reserve this right for the strongest of their generation, and I'm sure Glynda will find some form of vengeance for this; but who would you like to be your partner?" he inquired, a smile on his face. Naruto blinked.

"Why?" he asked, honestly confused. Ozpin smiled.

"Typically, we require some form of payment. I know Ms. Nikos knew about this from her agent, and brought me a really nice mahogany desk, which I'll miss, but you, Mr. Uzumaki, have proven your value. So, who would you like to be your partner?"

Once more, Naruto was confused. "So, just to clarify, you usually ask the strongest student who they'd like their partner to be?" Ozpin nodded. "And you… give them that partner?" Ozpin nodded once more. "What if the teams end up unbalanced?" Ozpin snorted this time, before stifling his… Naruto assumed he'd been about to laugh.

"Please. It's impossible to have a balanced team; and honestly, it makes betting in the Vytal Tournament so much harder. It's much better to have a nice powerful team to take home the prize." Naruto blinked again.

"Are you shitting me?" he asked, aghast.

"Hmmm?" Ozpin hummed, looking at him in amusement.

"You mean to tell me that this whole… thing, is about bragging rights?!" Naruto exclaimed, shocked.

Ozpin simply nodded. "Yes. Atlas must lose. They've won the five previous Tournaments, we cannot allow them another." he said, completely serious. "James has already taken my favourite chair, leaving me with THIS monstrosity." he gestured at his chair, which Naruto noted looked rather uncomfortable. "And my bookshelves, and my lampshade, and…" he voice lowered into a growl, his eyes glinting harshly. "Last year he stole my coffee blender, along with the trade rights with Vacuo for their coffee beans. This shall not stand! This year we must WIN, lest we lose the thing that makes this Academy work most of all…" he sipped his coffee aggressively, leaving Naruto flummoxed on how he got it back in his hand. Stealing a look at the desk, he was dumbstruck when he saw the old cup was still there. Looking back at Ozpin, he saw his shoulders shaking.

"Glynda." Naruto blinked again, before gripping the bridge of his nose between his fingers.

"You bet your SECRETARY?!" he asked, feeling a migraine coming on. Ozpin sighed.

"And now you know why I wanted you as a teacher." Naruto frowned, and before he could speak up Ozpin continued. "And don't call her a secretary. She's ALSO the Combat Instructor. I just thought it would be more productive to make her my secretary, and make you the Combat Instructor." Naruto sighed again. He wouldn't lie, that sounded awesome. Teaching people his own age how to fight? How much more EPIC could you get?!

"So. Who would you like as your partner? I recommend Ms. Nikos." Ozpin suggested, sipping his coffee. Naruto thought to himself, before sighing.

"How about Ruby?" he asked, causing Ozpin to start thinking.

"Well, she is quite impressive… coupled with her training, Semblance and other qualities, I'd say that you'd have quite the team with both of you there… if I were to ALSO give you Ms. Nikos…" he very nearly started salivating, causing Naruto to back away, weirded out. After collecting himself, Ozpin nodded.

"As you wish; Ms. Rose would do well alongside you. I will do my best to ensure that you end up together." he decided, before glancing up and down Naruto again.

"...Now be honest with me; do you have any Lien?" he asked.

"No, I didn't bring anything with me here except my cloak." Naruto revealed, which made Ozpin hum in thought.

"I'll give you your student sums early then, and you can go to Vale to purchase some new clothing before Initiation. I'd advise you hurry, Mr. Uzumaki; you only have an hour." Naruto looked at the clock in confusion, before seeing that he indeed only had an hour.

'Did we really spend that much time talking?' he thought to himself, before bowing as he backed away to one of the elevators.

"Oh, not that one." Ozpin called out, "That one leads to the basement, where I have secured some… illicit coffee beans. I trust you will reveal this to no one?" Naruto smiled at him, amused.

"Don't worry Ozpin-sensei; if I can hide the Hokage's tobacco and booze stash, I'm sure I can forget that you have a coffee stash." Ozpin smiled happily.

'It appears that the leadership all have their vices… no matter what world.' he thought to himself, before beginning to think further on Naruto's dilemma.

'Should I ask the Relic of Knowledge?' he thought, his heart torn. He continued to think, flinching as he settled down into his chair.

* * *

Naruto stepped out of the elevator, before running out. He only had about an hour to get to Vale and back… better make this quick then. His eyes swirled into the Mangekyou Sharingan, before he quickly used Kamui to warp himself. He recalled when he'd used it yesterday, to get into his smoke screen. He'd been lucky enough to find a letter from Obito, along with a clock sitting on the ground atop a package wrapped in brown paper. The letter had been brief, but had brought tears to his eyes.

'Naruto,

I hope that you're doing alright. I've informed Kakashi that you're still alive, and he's begun a research division into discovering how to get you home. For now, we've left you these gifts from your friends, along with one that Nagato would have wanted to give you.

Also, I left this letter here when the clock said 8:00. I'm going to be coming back with Kakashi tomorrow afternoon, when it'll say 19:00,, so if you could be here that would help expedite matters.

-Obito'

Naruto had swiftly torn into the package, which he could tell were all from his friends. Kiba had sent him a short letter telling him to get home, and some food pills. The others had all been… very discomforting. They'd all sent him instant ramen packets, along with short letters saying they couldn't believe he was alive. However, a black silk package drew his attention. It was small, but he could instantly tell that it belonged to Nagato. Maybe it was the way it smelled, like rain and wetness, maybe it was the fact that the silk was water repelling (which he discovered after he'd cried a little on it after reading the letters). Either way, he slowly slid it open. Inside was a very familiar forehead protector; it was Jiraiya's. Dragging it free of the silken confines, he looked all over it, noticing the little dents and battle marks covering the surface. Smiling broadly, he'd slowly reached up and wrapped it over his head, removing his Leaf forehead protector. He'd slipped it into his pocket, before preparing some smoke bombs for his great entrance.

* * *

Naruto sighed, scratching at the forehead protector. Honestly, it itched more than his old one. But as he reappeared in Vale, he swiftly marched down a street to where he'd seen a clothing store a few days ago on his first day in Vale. Marching in, he was glad to see it was open. Looking at the clothes, he was glad to see someone working, and quickly walked up to them.

"Hey there!" Naruto greeted them loudly, causing him to start and turn, stumbling awkwardly in his blue cloak with white trim, which caught on the wall. He squinted at Naruto before speaking.

"I'll be blunt; do you have any Lien, or do I need to ask you to leave?" the shop owner asked, his voice strained as he scratched his short hair. Naruto nodded quickly.

"Yeah, I've got money. I'm just here to pick up some new clothes since these ones are kinda old and crappy." The shopkeeper snorted, agreeing with Naruto immediately.

"Oh they are. What are you looking for? Casual, formal, semi formal, or something else?" he asked, seeming nearly reluctant to say it. Naruto frowned, thinking. He kinda wanted another tracksuit, to be honest.

"I'd like to see your jumpsuits, please!" he asked happily. The shopkeeper frowned, before glancing at him.

"Are you sure?" Naruto nodded happily, and the store worker sighed (or more accurately, groaned), before leading him down an aisle to a set of jumpsuits.

"Here's our jumpsuit collection. But I'd really recommend something else, considering that these are… well, they're jumpsuits!" he exclaimed, watching Naruto pick up a light blue and white jumpsuit. Naruto frowned at him.

"I wore a jumpsuit for years! They're great!" he denied, crossing his arms. The shopkeeper sighed.

"Listen you moron, I have a deal for you. You come with me, try on the outfit I think will look good, and I'll give you a twenty percent discount." Naruto paused, considering. This would save him money, and he didn't know if he'd need more later. Shrugging, he gestured for the shopkeeper to lead the way, scowling at the bitter sounding man.

"So what's your name?" Naruto asked as they walked to the side of the store. The shopkeeper spoke back over his shoulder, avoiding obstacles like a dancer.

"The name's Belkar."

"My name's Naruto." Naruto said genially, before Belkar led him to a small out of the way corner of the store. He started taking things off a rack, asking Naruto some questions as he did so.

"So, why are you wearing crappy clothes like that?"

Naruto answered sheepishly, "I ran out of money and found these in the garbage. But my… teacher I guess, gave me my student stipend early so I could go get some new clothes."

Belkar hummed thoughtfully. "So you're at Beacon? A First Year I take it?" Naruto nodded, confused.

"Yes, I am. How'd you know?" Belkar snickered.

"I'm a Third Year at Beacon, I'm just working here mornings to pay for some extra stuff for my gear. I need to get some vambraces, but since I'm not getting any money other than the Student Stipend, I can't afford them at the moment. So I'm gonna work here for a few months, then I'll have the materials." Seeing Naruto's confusions, Belkar clarified. "My fighting style relies on using my daggers and acrobatic jumps. But since I use daggers my arms often get too close to my opponent, which ends up with them scoring hits on my arms. While my Aura does protect me, it drains it quickly if all my attacks result in them getting a hit. So I need to make really strong bracers to protect myself, then I can stop using Aura for everything." Naruto nodded. It seemed pretty smart; he was tackling a weakness so that his style wouldn't result in any injuries. Glancing back at the rack, Belkar asked another question.

"Got any colour preferences?" Naruto thought for a moment.

"Orange and black, or orange and blue and white." Belkar shrugged, turning back to his rack. After a minute of grabbing and dismissing different outfits, he drew out one and handed it to Naruto.

"Here, try this one on." Naruto shrugged, and walked into a changing room a few meters down the wall. Swiftly changing out of his current slobwear, he felt the shirt fit snugly around him. Glancing down at it, he shrugged as he didn't bother tucking it in as he flung his coat overtop. Opening the change-room door, he stepped out where Belkar was waiting. When Belkar saw him, he frowned.

"Well, it looks alright…" Naruto was currently garbed in a white coat with an orange undershirt. The coat went down to his midthighs, and had black clasps holding it tightly shut against his chest, but allowing it to flare outwards. The pants were simply black, and when down to his shins where he then had black boots with orange lining, and brocade overlays in orange and black. The collar was popped, which allowed his orange undershirt to peek through. Honestly, it was far beyond what he'd worn before as a Shinobi. However, Belkar did not appear enthused with the outfit.

Turning about suddenly, Belkar reached for another outfit, wrapped in translucent plastic.

"Here, try this one now." he grunted. Naruto was confused, but shrugged it off. He took the new outfit, which appeared to have fewer articles of clothing, and quickly changed. When he emerged, Belkar gave an approving grunt. Instead of a few layers, this time Naruto was simply wearing a black dress shirt, with the sleeves rolled up. His pants were a burnt orange, bordering on red but not quite there. His shoes were still Shinobi sandals, which Naruto was loath to part with. Belkar nodded approvingly when Naruto didn't acknowledge his grunt.

"Well, you're one of the people who look better in simpler outfits." Naruto shrugged, unsure of what to say.

"Well, do you want it?" Belkar asked, showing Naruto to a mirror. Naruto looked over himself, a bit withdrawn, but not disappointed. With his dress shirt not tucked in, he wasn't sacrificing mobility, and the colour scheme was more… him than the last outfit. Jiraiya's forehead protector didn't really go with it, even he could tell that. So he'd wear his own, at least until he went home. Then maybe he'd do what Jiraiya did, and travel…

Either way, Naruto liked the outfit. "Yeah, I do. Could I also get the other one, just in case there's any formal events?" he asked, since the other outfit _was _more formal, and looked professional. Belkar shrugged.

"Sure, why the hell not. I'll even put the discount down for both of them." Naruto nodded in thanks, before taking up the spare outfit and putting it back in it's bag. Belkar told him about maintenance on the wait to the check out.

"Now, the outfit you're wearing now is designed to be Huntsmen wear, so it doesn't require any special washing. You can just let it soak in water, then dry in the sun. It'll be a bit wrinkly, but that's life." Naruto nodded, happy with the information. Honestly, some of the things Ino used to bring on missions required special soaps to clean properly, and they needed the water to be a specific temperature. He was glad she'd grown out of that. And he was glad that his new outfit wouldn't require any special maintenance. After paying Belkar, who discounted twenty percent, Naruto went on his way into a side alley where no one would see him.

'Maybe I'll store my formal outfit in my weapons locker…' he thought to himself as he used the Kamui to twist away into nothingness.

* * *

Twisting into existence just outside Beacon, Naruto quickly made his way to the locker room. As he walked in, he saw that the rest of the students were up and ready, getting their weapons and equipment from their lockers. Sidling up next to some student in gray armour with orange hair, Naruto quickly punched in his locker combination (thank the Sage for the Sharingan, otherwise he'd never have remembered it). Slipping his outfit inside, he closed it with a clang, and locked it. Pausing to consider, he swiftly opened it again and stashed his Lien inside it as well. When he closed it, he saw the student looking at him, leaning against his own locker.

"Can I help you?" Naruto asked, not needing Kurama's ability to sense negativity to tell that this student loathed him.

"What help could a stupid animal like you give me?" the other student jibed snidely, causing Naruto to pause, turning towards him with a snarl.

"Hey! Who're you calling an animal?" Naruto growled angrily, as the student's friends flanked him.

"You, you freak! We all saw it! You had those disgusting tails! At least most freaks don't have more than one animal part, but you're a freak beyond freaks! You're a monster!" the student snarled.

Naruto paused to consider, taking deep breaths. Thanks to his Sage Training he didn't fly off the handle as much as he used to, which was fortunate because he-

"You don't belong here! You're nothing but a beast, a mindless savage! All you're good for is labour, and even then you fall short of _real_ men!" Naruto grew a tick on his forehead as he tried to stay calm. At this point other students had begun to notice, and were circling. Naruto recognized this; they were trying to decide whether or not he'd be easy to bully. Either he could act out now, and potentially get in trouble with Goodwitch, or he'd be singled out for bullying.

It wasn't much of a choice.

Naruto glanced up at the taller boy, and smirked. "Well, at least _this_ man isn't hiding behind a metal suit." the student recoiled as though stung.

"Are you calling me a coward, freak?!" the boy snarled, reaching for a handle protruding from his waist. Naruto nodded.

"Anyone who needs to hide behind armour obviously doesn't have much faith in their ability. I mean, look at you, look at me." he gestured to his new, immaculate outfit. "Who's the coward here, the one trying to bully a guy with no weapons or armour, or the one standing up to the moron in great metal sheets?" the student spluttered for a brief few moments, making Naruto glad that he'd learned how to keep a level head and speak properly from the Tailed Beasts. Eventually, the boy drew forth his mace, which was black with a glowing red crystal set within it.

Swinging wildly, the boy sent his mace streaking towards Naruto's face with terrifying speed; but Naruto simply bowed, and the mace flew over him and caved in his locker.

This, of course, made Naruto frown. His stuff could've been damaged! Standing upright, he pushed his hand against the head of the mace, keeping it lodged in his locker. The other student growled, his face turning red with either fury or exertion. Naruto couldn't tell.

Eventually, he decided enough was enough. "Get him!" he howled for his friends, who drew out their weapons. Glancing around, Naruto took stock of the situation. There were seven of them, and only one of him. All of them except three had weapons out and ready, and looked ready to fight.

'This'll be fun.' he smiled bestially, before wrapping his fingers around some of the flanges of the mace beneath his hand. Ripping the mace free of his locker, the student holding it only had a brief moment, where his eyes widened as he was spun around, slamming into two of his friends, sending them to the floor.

"Cardin!" cried out one of the other students, this one with a mohawk. Snarling, he turned towards Naruto, drawing two daggers and stabbing at him. Naruto however, instead of reacting to the daggers, kicked out one of Mohawk's legs from under him, sending him face first towards the ground with a cry. However, before he hit the ground Naruto spun, kicking him towards another student, and sending them both over the bench lining the center of the locker room and into the one who was probably Cardin, who'd just gotten up (which then sent him sprawling again). Naruto stood straight, looking at the rest of the students who'd just seen four of their own taken out, all in the span of ten seconds.

"You gonna give up, or do I need to go and find a window to throw you through?" Naruto asked, disdain pouring from his voice.

The rest of the students stood still, all waiting for someone else to make a move. However, inevitably, something else happened. Another student walked in, with long red hair and bronze armour.

"What's going on?" she asked, green eyes looking around. Naruto shrugged, knowing better than to lie.

"Just a minor disagreement. I'm sure it's all sorted out now." he said, glaring at the other students, who quickly nodded and backed off, with only Cardin and his friends rising up.

Cardin snarled, "Why are _you_ protecting him, Nikos?! You saw what he was! He's a freak! A monster!"

Nikos simply looked at Naruto before smiling. "Maybe, maybe not. But I look forward to discovering that for myself!" Naruto grunted, sliding back into a lazy stance, his hands slipping into his pockets.

"Be careful what you wish for… some things are better left in the dark." Naruto warned carefully, trying to push her away from examining him. Nikos, however, simply smiled broader at him.

"What's your name?" she asked, and Naruto groaned mentally.

"Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki." he replied, waiting for her to give her own. When she simply nodded however, he cocked an eyebrow.

"And… what's yours?" he asked, his voice nearly betraying his annoyance. Fortunately (or unfortunately), before she can answer Jaune comes walking by.

"Come on, come on! I know it was down here!" he mumbled to himself, checking the numbers on the lockers. Naruto glanced at him, before halting Nikos' introduction.

"Sorry," he said absentmindedly, calling out to Jaune. "Hey Jaune! Over here!" he waved him over. Jaune walked over to him, eyes widening when he saw Naruto's new outfit.

"Whoa dude! Where'd you get the new clothes?" he asked, curious.

"Oh, some store down in Vale. I woke up early and went down to get some new clothes. Wouldn't do to only wear my other clothes all the time!" he answered happily, glad to be speaking to someone who didn't think he was a monster (or could be one).

Nikos cleared her throat meaningfully, causing Naruto to slap his forehead.

"Oh yeah, Jaune, this is…" and he trailed off, looking at her. Nikos quickly threw out her hand, excitement filling her voice.

"My name's Pyrrha! Pyrrha Nikos! It's a pleasure to meet you!" she said happily, and Jaune smiled in turn.

"The name's Jaune Arc! Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue, ladies love it!" he winked at her, making her giggle softly. Naruto was once more confused.

'Maybe I know less about girls than I thought…' he mused, walking towards the door as Jaune and Pyrrha got to know each other. He twitched when the PA system activated, Goodwitch giving instructions;

"Would all First Year students report to the courtyard with your gear for initiation, all First Years to the courtyard."

Naruto nodded to himself, heading outside. As he cleared the courtyard, he saw Professors Ozpin and Goodwitch standing in the center, with a few students around them. Joining the group, he noticed a few students move away from him after realizing who he was. Ozpin, upon seeing him, gave an approving nod, and Goodwitch didn't even acknowledge his existence as she tapped at a large Scroll-like device she was holding. As they waited, he saw Ozpin glance at his watch. Eventually, Ruby and Yang arrived, with Ruby dragging Jaune behind her while Nikos appeared to be close to laughing. Ruby, after seeing him, squealed and ran over to him.

"Ohhhhhh! You got new clothes!" she said, looking over him. "You look amazing!" Naruto smiled warmly at her, unable to keep scowling.

"Why thank you! I just got it this morning!" he said, seeing her blush furiously when she realized what she said. Teasing was now in order, he decided.

"So what do you think?" he asked, spinning slowly, "Do I have anything I should add?" she appeared to struggle, before trying to seriously answer the question.

"W-well, you don't seem to have anywhere to keep your gear!" she stuttered, causing Naruto to stop and think. He HAD neglected to think of that. Pausing, he thought carefully, before shrugging.

"I shouldn't need them. I'll be fine." he said calmly, making Ruby flinch.

"I-if you say so… just don't get in any trouble, K?" she said nervously, with Naruto blowing her off.

"Nah, I'm not even bringing my weapon! I'll be fiiiine!" he proclaimed, causing Professor Goodwitch to scowl at him, and the rest of the students to look at him like he was a lunatic. Ozpin merely quirked an eyebrow, amused.

As Naruto and Ruby continued to talk, time went by, and after about ten minutes Professor Goodwitch exhaled through her nose, obviously annoyed.

"We're now going to move to the Beacon Cliffs. Anyone who isn't here is automatically disqualified, and will not be going to Beacon." she said fimly. A few students took issue with this.

"But my friend is still in the locker room!" one of them cried out, and before they continued Professor Goodwitch interrupted.

"If they can't even make it to initiation, what makes you think they'll be on time to defend against the Grimm?" she asked rhetorically, and the student scowled.

"But he's late cause that guy," and here he rudely gestured at Naruto, "beat him up in the locker room!" Professor Goodwitch turned to Naruto, a scowl on her face.

"Mr. Uzumaki, is this true?" she demanded. Naruto nodded.

"Yep." he said simply.

Her eyebrow twitched dangerously, and Ruby slowly moved away from Naruto as Professor Goodwitch bore down on him like a wolf on a deer.

"And… why did you think this would be tolerated?" she asked coldly, and Naruto shrugged.

"Well, I thought that if they were allowed to be racist bigots then I was allowed to at least make a comment on it. I guess I thought if they were allowed to oppress me, I could at least be impudent in turn." he said. 'At least that's what Kakashi-Sensei said I was whenever I argued with someone important.'

Professor Goodwitch glowered at him, her eyes like sharp daggers of flint. And with that glower, all the remaining students flocked to Professor Ozpin, who'd moved away from Professor Goodwitch. He'd say it was out of respect, later.

"And where in "impudent" did you think you could assault them?" she demanded, and Naruto didn't even flinch.

"Well, when one of them swung his mace at me I thought I would be allowed to punch him." Naruto said simply, and at this point Ozpin intervened.

"OK, Glynda, I'm sure that we can forgive this. Besides, we can just review the camera footage later." he soothed her, as she slowly calmed down. "Besides, a few students have snuck into the group after the time limit. I'm sure you can take care of this problem?" he offered, and Professor Goodwitch grinned, eyes glinting.

"With pleasure, Headmaster." she said, eyes alight with mirthless fury. With a flick of her crop, she had three students floating through the air as she marched them back towards Beacon.

Ozpin sighed. "With that out of the way, let's go." he started walking towards the cliffs, leading the group of fourteen students down a long winding path. The rest of the students followed him, and Yang slid up next to him, awe covering her face.

"Damn, Whiskers! You took Goodwitch's assault like a tank!" she praised, clapping an arm over his shoulder. "And I like the new look! It's more you than black and red!" she added, which Naruto agreed with.

As they continued to talk, they neared the cliffs, until Ozpin turned around.

"Very well then. Now that we're here, we can begin. For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest. Normally, this is where Glynda would explain the rules, but as she is..." he sips sadly at his coffee, "no longer with us, I will be explaining in her stead.

"Now, I'm sure you've all heard terrible rumours about how we assign teams here at Beacon. Fortunately for you, your teammates will be determined today."

Ruby squeaked in fear, tucked between Naruto and Yang on a strange gray platform. She quivered with nervousness as Ozpin continued.

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well."

Naruto nodded. That made sense. However, he knew better than anyone else here that Ozpin, while a certified genius (he really had a plaque that said GENIUS on it, he'd seen it in his office), was completely batshit crazy. So of course, that meant…

"That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

Ruby broke. That was really the only way to describe it. She just stopped moving after slumping forward. Naruto was a bit concerned, but he expected that the adrenaline that would soon be pumping through her would get her going. Ozpin continued his pep talk, if it could be called that.

"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you WILL die." Jaune laughed nervously, before gulping audibly. He was quite obviously nervous, or even afraid. Ozpin however, didn't pause.

"You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"

Jaune quickly raised his hand. "Yeah, uhhh, sir?" To which Ozpin replied.

"Good! Now, take your positions!" before sipping his coffee again, a small smile on his face. Naruto sighed, sitting down on the platform. Ruby looked down at him, bemused, while Yang cocked her gauntlets and put on a pair of aviators. With a grin, she was launched. Ruby glanced at Naruto, an expression of worry on her face as he sat with his eyes closed. However, she was quickly fired off, and, turning around midair, witnessed as Naruto was flung after her.

Her eyes widened as she saw he wasn't moving, not changing a bit from his position that he'd been in before his launch. Reaching for Crescent Rose, she quickly deployed it as she slowed her descent, watching Naruto fly past her like a cannonball. She watched him fly into the trees below, and heard a sound like an earthquake as a large cloud of dust and debris flew up from the forest floor. Deactivating her scythe, she fell downwards, preparing to use her Semblance to land effectively.

Swerving around a tree, she reached into her Shinobi Pouch, tossing some wire as it wrapped around a tree. Utilising it as a rope swing of sorts, she spun around the tree until she saw the ground. Releasing her wire, she rolled when she hit the ground, rolling to her feet with nary a care. Looking around, she only saw brown dust floating about, settling from the impact.

'Oh Gods, what if Naruto got hurt?! I know he's super strong, but that cloud! He could have broken his legs!' she thought, frantically searching. However, she suddenly felt a hand land on her shoulder, and turning, saw Naruto standing there smiling at her.

"Oh, Naruto! You're alright- hey! What's up with your eyes?" she asked, curious. Naruto's iris' were bright gold with an odd shaped pupil, almost like a straight bar, with orange makeup rimming his eyes. Ruby blushed as she remembered the poem she'd read.

"When I saw you there,

With radiant hair and golden eyes

So pure, I felt your hand

Fall down…"

She whispered to herself, feeling his hand resting on her shoulder. His hair certainly looked radiant normally, when it wasn't covered in dust, but for now, she was content to blush.

"Well, I guess this makes us teammates." Naruto said, grinning at her. "Wanna go get the relic thingy?"

Ruby nodded quickly. "After you, good sir!" she proclaimed, to which Naruto bowed at the waist.

"As my lady commands, so shall it be!" he declared, before marching in a random direction. Ruby followed after him, content to simply follow for now.

As they trekked through the forest, Naruto and Ruby were starting to get worried.

"Do you think we're going the right way?" Ruby asked, her voice minorly annoyed. Naruto scoffed.

"Of course I'm sure! I can tell from… the sun!" he said, leading her up a slope dotted with rocks. Ruby was unsure.

"But Naruto, we can't really see the sun, and, well, Professor Ozpin said that we'd need to fight lots of Grimm! But we haven't come across any yet!"

Naruto paused to consider. "Hmmmm. You may be right. Tell you what, we wrap this up quickly and… you don't ask any questions about how?" he asked slyly. Ruby squinted, suspicious.

"Hmmm. Nope!"

Naruto groaned. "Why not?!" he asked, frustrated.

Ruby shook her head. "Because we're partners, silly!" she giggled. "We're gonna be together for the next four years! We won't have secrets from each other!" she finished.

Naruto sighed. "OK… I was going to use a technique I know called the Body Flicker, which moves me really quickly in a straight line." Ruby nodded, excited.

"So it's a part of your Semblance?" she asked, curiously.

"Hmmm. In a way; my Semblance allows me to connect with nature, which gives me various abilities." Ruby hummed to herself.

"So… like how Dust is also called 'Nature's Wrath', you can use abilities that are Dust-like without Dust?" Naruto nodded, going along with the explanation.

"Yeah. Kinda like that, except I can also sense nature energy, and feel other people." Ruby oh'ed appropriately.

"And where do your taily things come in? You wouldn't explain yesterday!" she whined, making Naruto laugh as he started walking again.

"Well, I guess the simplest way to explain it is that nature isn't just an abstract concept; Nature is a living, breathing thing. The names I called out yesterday were the names of… well, they're called Tailed Beasts, but they could also be considered nature spirits, from a certain point of view. They are fractions of nature energy.

"They decided to come with me, and sealed themselves within me." Naruto explained, pushing some branches out of his way. Ruby nodded slowly, ducking under the branches.

"Sooooo…" she whistled, "Nature spirits? That sounds kinda far-fetched…"

"**What's funny is how accurate the statement is! We ARE kinda nature spirits!"** Shukaku howled with laughter. Naruto grinned, clambering over a rock and turning to hoist Ruby up after him.

"Well, it kinda does, doesn't it?" he laughed, pulling her up on the rock. "But it's the truth… they just really liked me, I guess!" Ruby nodded.

"I can see why!" she blurted without thinking, before blushing furiously as she zipped past him up the hill. Naruto chuckled to himself.

"Well, nearly there. Then it's back to Beacon, and…" he scowled menacingly, "studying."

Ruby and Naruto spoke more after she calmed down, and after about twenty minutes of racing through the trees, they finally reached the place where Naruto had sensed the rest of the students. As they emerged from the trees, they saw a group had already formed. There was a boy with a streak of pink hair following a girl with black hair who-

'Hey! That's the girl who was down in the alley yesterday!' Naruto mentally exclaimed, striding forward with Ruby zipping towards the relics. As he neared the two already there, the girl glared at him.

"Hey, what's with the look?" Naruto asked, confused. Let it never be said he knew what some words meant…

"You…" she said, venom in her voice. The guy next to her looked between them both, before shrugging. Wasn't his problem.

"Yeah, me. Did I piss you off somehow?" he asked, genuinely confused. She glowered furiously at him, eyes seemingly alight with indignation.

"You sexually harassed me!" she yelled, causing Naruto to take a step back. His eyes widened in horror.

"What are you talking about?!" he exclaimed, watching as her assumed teammate turned to glare at him. "I did no such thing! All I did was…" and he trailed off, realising what he'd said.

'Ahhh, shit.' he thought, before trying to mend the bridge. "Look, I'm sorry about that. I can see how that would've creeped you out, but my mentor said that's what he said when he first saw his best teammate ever! I just kinda… stole it and hoped it would turn out similar?" he ended, questioning tones lingering in his last words. She, however, merely gazed at him with incandescent fury.

"You… wanted us to be teammates as well?!" she hissed, reaching for her weapon. Naruto waved his hands in front of his face, which was definitely showing his panic.

"No, no no! I just wanted to make a friend I swear!" he said, fear filling his voice. 'I can't just say I said it to mess with her cause I was bored…' he thought to himself.

"Listen, Blake," interrupted the man with her, "Maybe this WAS just a misunderstanding."

Blake scowled at him. "Ren, you are NOT making this into a learning experience. He sexually harassed me!" she said, rightfully. Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Listen, Blake, right?" she turned her angry eyes back on him, making him quickly rush through. "I'm really really sorry, could we maybe forget the whole thing ever happened and maybe I can redeem myself somehow?!" he asked, with Ren giving an approving nod.

Blake sighed, and waved him off. "Fine. If you just… don't do it ever again, I won't make an issue of it. But if I even hear a LICK of you saying something like that again, I'll take away what makes you a man…" she threatened, and Naruto immediately began faking fear.

"Oh, definitely!" he said, his acting poor. Ren saw through it, but it appeared Blake did not. With an approving nod, she moved to take a black rook. Ruby however, grabbed it first.

"Mine!" she squeaked, happily holding it. Blake groaned, and Ren moved over and grabbed the other one.

"There. We didn't lose anything… happy?" he asked, his voice drained. Blake merely sighed.

"I guess… let's get out of here." However, before they can move they see trees start falling in the distance.

"Hey, what's that?" Ruby asked, and the rest of them shrug.

"Maybe a Grimm?" Naruto suggested, popping his shoulder. Blake shook her head.

"Can't be. Too large, no students at our level could take a Grimm capable of knocking down that many trees, without slowing." she pointed out, and Ruby was forced to agree.

Naruto however, had a counter argument. "Whoever said it was at yo- I mean our level?" he challenged, with pretty much all of them catching his slip up. With that being said, Ren frowned.

"That may be so… however I doubt that Professor Ozpin would allow a Grimm of such magnitude in this test." he suggested, leaving challenging Naruto's assertion of their weakness to another time.

As he finished saying that, two people cleared the forest. It was Yang and an orange haired girl, who cried out upon seeing Ren.

"Reeeeeen!" she cheered, flipping her large hammer over and standing on its head, before a large pink cloud popped out behind it, sending her flying towards them with a loud explosive sound. Waving at him as she approached, Naruto felt the need to point something out.

"She's gonna hit us." he said calmly, and Ruby blanched before using her Semblance to flit away, out of the line of fire. Yang, upon seeing Ruby, lit up and charged towards her.

"Ruby!" she cried out, waving her arms. Naruto glanced at her, before looking back at the orange-haired missile swiftly approaching them. With a sigh, he squatted quickly, reached out his hand and grabbed the head of the hammer, holding it in place without even a quiver in his arm as he stopped her dead.

The girl blinked, confused, before her eyes lit up when she saw him. "Ohhhh! You're that boy with the tails from the big room!" she said loudly, leaping down from her hammer. "It's so nice to meet you! My name's Nora Valkyrie, and you're Naruto!" she turned to whisper conspiratorially to Blake, "I remember his name from yesterday!" Blake groaned audibly, turning to Naruto.

"And suddenly you don't seem so bad." she remarked, keeping an eye on the falling trees.

Nora turned towards the trees, her eyes widening. "Wait!... We were being CHASED?!" she cried, turning towards Yang with a hurt expression. "Why didn't we attack it?!" she whined. Yang released Ruby from her embrace, looking at the trees.

"I didn't notice it either Nora!" she said, shocked. Her smile widened. "Wanna go break it's legs?" she offered, winking. Nora cheered, hefting her hammer on her shoulder.

"Ohhhh yes! Come on Ren!" she grabbed Ren by the arm, dragging him towards the woods.

"Uhhh, Nora? Maybe we should wait here where we have a team with us?" he suggested, trying to pull back. Nora scoffed.

"Nahhhh! It'll be fiiiiine!" she drawled, before Blake grabbed her arm.

"While we aren't very close, I'd prefer my partner to stay here." Blake said, Ren giving her a grateful look. Nora shrugged.

"OK then! We'll wait for the beastie!" she decried, cocking her grenade launcher. Yang grinned, eyes burning red.

"That's a plan I can get behind!" she growled, slamming her fists into each other. Naruto groaned, turning to Ruby.

"Let me guess, you want to stay as well?" he asked, with Ruby nodding happily before he finished asking.

"Yep!" she squeaked, withdrawing Crescent Rose from her back. Naruto sighed.

'Better finish this quickly, then we can get back to Beacon. Besides, I bet Ozpin's waiting for a show…' he thought to himself, before smiling bestially. 'It wouldn't do to disappoint a teacher…'

He took his hands from his pockets, and closed his eyes. Within a few seconds, he'd activated Sage Mode.

"There's two other students running at us… it's Jaune and someone else." he said, just as Jaune and Nikos burst from the treeline, Jaune sailing through the air, with Nikos running behind him. Naruto's eyes widened, and only Ruby noticed their change. Erupting from the trees behind them was a massive scorpion.

"Damn!" Naruto exclaimed, watching it surge towards them with terrifying speed, "I thought it'd be bigger!"

The rest of the students looked at him, aghast. With that being said, Naruto flew forwards, with only Ruby able to track him. He zipped towards it, before leaping through the air. For a brief second everyone could see him, resting still in the air atop it, his fist aiming at it's head.

"Naruto! Look out!" cried Blake, seeing the stinger stabbing towards Naruto's back. Naruto was prepared however, and with a spin in midair, kicked the stinger backwards, before slamming his fist down on the beast.

A loud crack filled the clearing, and wind erupted from the epicenter of the blast, Naruto's fist and the plating of the scorpion, which was buckling beneath the force of his punch. It's legs gave out, and it slammed into the rocky ground, dust pouring free of the small crater it's body created. The rest of the students watched with bated breaths, as Naruto flew backwards, landing on the ground and sliding backwards nearly twenty meters before stopping right in front of them.

"How'd you do that?!" Yang asked, shocked. Even with her Semblance activated, she probably couldn't do that much damage! At least, not at the level she was at currently. Naruto glanced over his shoulder, a small smile on his face.

"Oh, that was a little technique I learned a while back…" he said calmly, while inwardly thinking: 'Hells, I learned that from the toads! I kinda AM a nature spirit guy! Huh.'

Yang's eyes widened as the scorpion surged from the cloud, it's armoured plating cracked but still holding together. As it surged towards them, Naruto quickly barked out a warning.

"Beneath us!" he yelled, right as the ground started to crack. Ruby managed to use her Semblance to zip off the ground, and Blake hooked part of the ruins with her weapon, pulling herself and her partner up. Nora and Yang were not so fortunate, and they were tossed in the air, both of them screaming out in shock.

"What the hell?!" Yang cried, looking down into the ground. Reaching forth from a newly created pit were ten tentacles, each sporting what looked like fangs running down the insides. At the bottom of the pit was a gaping maw, teeth gnashing and grinding rock into dirt, which was spewed out in a cloud of dust and debris. Perhaps the only beneficial part of this new adversary arriving was that the scorpion was sent flying as well, back towards the trees.

"Eat this!" Yang yelled, firing a volley of shots into the waiting mouth of the beast from below, each one firing out of her cocked fists and gauntlets, sending her higher into the sky with each shot. Nora grinned maniacally, and followed suit, also rising slowly in the air.

"Yeah!" she crowed, firing grenade after grenade into the mouth. However, a tentacle swung around, wrapping itself around her.

"Ahhh! Ren!" she cried out, feeling the fangs attempting to pierce her Aura, but failing. For now.

Ren swung out his weapons, dual knife guns, and started firing at the tentacle holding Nora. Blake followed suit, firing at the tentacle with her weapon which she drew with no excess showboating. However, their bullets appeared to have no effect, and the other tentacles began edging their way towards them, deflecting the bullets as much as possible.

Suddenly, they heard a voice yell out. "Pyrrha! Get her out of that tentacle!" and, turning, saw Jaune and Pyrhaa at the edge of the clearing. Pyrhaa slung her shield off her shoulder, and threw it like a frisbee. Naruto watched in awe as the shield flew in a straight line, slicing directly through the tentacle, and freeing Nora from it's grasp. Jaune issued another command quickly, taking charge.

"Cut off all it's tentacles at the base! That way it won't be able to grab us!" he yelled, drawing his sword. The rest of them nodded, and as they drew their weapons, heard a screech. The scorpion was back on its feet, and charging towards Jaune. Jaune, upon seeing it, screamed and raised his shield above himself, managing to block the stinger from impaling him, although he was knocked backwards from the force of the blow. Naruto frowned, and saw Pyrrha stop attacking the new beastie to help Jaune.

"No!" he yelled at her, making her stop, eyes wide. "Keep attacking the weird thing! Ruby, get Jaune! Blake, you and Ren aren't useful against the weird thing! Come help me with the scorpion!" They all nodded, although Pyrrha wasn't happy until she saw Ruby virtually fly across the battlefield, scooping up Jaune in a matter of seconds. Assured that her partner was safe, Pyrrha turned back to the beastie from below.

As Blake and Ren arrived next to Naruto, Blake had some choice words for him. "Do you even know what these Grimm are?" she asked, annoyed. Naruto shook his head.

"Nope. Why?" It was Ren who answered.

"Well, the scorpion is called a Deathstalker, and the one with the tentacles is called a Roper. Although both of these are far larger than their normal counterparts… they must be ancient." Ren noted, while Naruto's eyes glazed over. Blake nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. We should be careful." At this point, Ruby appeared next to them, deploying Crescent Rose.

"Alright! Let's do this!" she cried out gleefully, regarding the charging Deathstalker as she would a platter of cookies.

With reckless abandon.

Naruto shrugged. "Alright… see it's stinger? I'm gonna get rid of it. Ruby, you saw off it's legs with your Semblance and scythe. Ren, you and Blake keep it distracted with your guns." he ordered, cracking his neck as he felt the Nature Energy surge within him. Blake and Ren nodded, and Ruby let out a cheer.

"Alright! Let's go Team Deathstalker!" she crowed, sliding into a sprinting position with her scythe held behind her, the blade angled outwards. Blake cocked her eyebrow at the name, before shrugging.

"Could be worse." she remarked, just as Ruby shot off, blasting towards the Deathstalker like a whirling hurricane of rose petals and crimson metal. Naruto grinned, dashing after her, his blood pumping and his heart beating like a drum in his breast.

As he sped towards the stinger, he felt his eyes pulsating, their thirst for blood and death reaching through him. The Deathstalker screeched, it's eyes swirling to glare at him right as Ruby sawed through the first of its six legs. Which, oddly, it didn't even notice, completely preoccupied with Naruto, who grinned madly.

"Hello, scorponẽ…" he hooted, twisting midair and SLAMMING his leg down on the side of its stinger. 'Good old fashioned Uzumaki Barrage… with just a taste of Kurama's Chakra.' he thought to himself happily as his leg burnt gold for a brief second, caving in the side of the Deathstalker's stinger, literally tearing it off the stump of it's backside. It shrieked in agony, and brought it's pincers up to grab him. Naruto's eyes widened, watching them come closer to him, stretching wider as they prepared to close over his body.

'Even in Sage Mode… those might cut me in half…' he thought to himself, preparing to catch the pincers with his hands, which he reinforced with Tailed Beast Chakra. 'Here goes nothing…' he mentally growled, the Tailed Beasts clamouring in approval from within his mind.

However, it wasn't meant to be. A black object whistled through the air, a black ribbon attached to it, wrapping around one of the pincers. Blake snarled as she pulled back on it, tearing the pincer away from him. Naruto glanced at her in shock, and prepared to blast the other pincer away with his Chakra laden fist, but once more, an object whistled as it wrapped around it. His eyes narrowed at the kunai and ninja wire wrapping around the stinger.

'Ruby isn't strong enough to pull that back! It'll only pull her muscles, or pull her into range of it's attack!' he thought, thrusting his fist towards the pincer, ready to obliterate it down into dust.

"Go to hell! I'm busy!" he roared, his fist glowing like a miniature sun as Kurama howled in agreement. However, once more his thunder was stolen. The pincer was wrenched back, his fist hitting only air. He twitched, looking at Ruby for an explanation, and what he saw floored him. Literally. He finally fell out of the air, landing on the Deathstalkers back.

What he'd seen was Ruby pulling the wire, alongside Ren. 'Of course…' he thought to himself, gazing at the sky as the Deathstalker thrashed beneath him. 'Ren's here…' He suddenly heard a sickening popping sound, and immediately leapt to his feet to see who was hurt.

'Damn it, freezing up on the battlefield! I haven't done that since I was a Genin!' he snarled, forgetting that he was still technically a Genin. However, he was relieved to see that the popping sound hadn't been anyone's muscles as he'd feared. It was actually the pincers, completely ripped from their sockets. His eye twitched in annoyance as he looked at the stingerless, legless, and now pincerless Deathstalker, which was still shrieking and howling from the ground.

"How is this thing still alive?" he demanded of Ren, who'd approached with Ruby and Blake after they'd… removed the pincers. Ren shrugged.

"Deathstalkers are one of the more durable Grimm, as you should know." he looked at Naruto pointedly, who ignored the hint.

"So they're just super durable?" he asked, looking at the Deathstalker. It was currently quivering in rage, he noticed. Probably because they'd crippled it, he decided. Ren shook his head.

"Deathstalkers are powerful, durable, but their most notable trait is that they grow back their detached limbs. That's one of the reasons they're so dangerous." he explained. Naruto nodded quickly.

"Shouldn't we kill it then?" he asked, curious. Blake agreed immediately.

"Please, it's so loud." she hissed, looking at it in contempt. Ruby nodded happily.

"Gotcha!" she twirled Crescent Rose above her head, before bringing it down hard on the destroyed remains of it's back plating, killing it instantly. As it disintegrated, Naruto glanced back at the other team.

"Let's go help them now." he said, wanting to finish initiation as soon as possible. As he moved to assist, Blake grabbed his arm.

"Let them finish it."

"Why?" Naruto asked, annoyed with the delay. "I want to get back to the cliffs, we should leave before our negativity attracts more Grimm." That was the only thing he'd learned that applied to all Grimm. They're attracted to negativity.

Ren shrugged. "I think they have it well in hand." he pointed out, watching as Nora heaved the Roper from it's den, pulling it free from the ground. Once that was done, Yang was quick to capitalize on it, filling it's face with a barrage of gunfire and fists, as well as activating her Semblance.

After prolonged barrages, the Roper finally fell, misting away into black flakes on the breeze. Naruto sighed, exasperated as the group fell on each other, breathing deeply.

"Now that you're done…" he said, catching the group's attention. "Can we go back to Beacon now? I'm hungry." Nora loudly proclaimed her agreement, hefting her hammer onto her shoulder.

"Rightly said, Taily Man!" she said loudly, grabbing the closest relic and pocketing it. "Onwards to Beacon, onwards… to CAKE!"

* * *

"Now, would Pyrrha Nikos, Jaune Arc, Yang Xiao Long and Nora Valkyrie please make their way to the stage." Ozpin itoned, gazing over the students, his coffee nowhere to be seen. As the called upon students made their way onto the stage, his face broke into a happy smile.

'Even though Glynda took away my coffee, this still manages to be something special…' he thought, looking at the team in pride. A heavy hitter team, honestly one that under normal circumstances he'd be pleased to throw at the Vytal Festival.

"You have all gathered the white rook pieces, and from this day forward will be known as Team Peachskin, or Team PAYN, led by… Pyrrha Nikos!" he proclaimed, eyes twinkling as he watched them cheer. "Congratulations." As they cleared the stage, Yang's arm slung over Nora's shoulder as they chattered about all the team stuff they'd get up to, Ozpin smiled dimly at the crowd of students.

"Now, it has come to my attention that the next team already chose their own name." he began. 'Which is good, means I don't need to confront the hurdle of making another team name.' he thought sourly, before calling the team to the stage.

"Would Ruby Rose, Naruto Uzumaki, Lie Ren and Blake Belladonna please come to the stage." After the group had assembled, he smiled brightly at them. "Your team gathered the black rook pieces, and displayed remarkable skill in your battle against your namesake. Henceforth you will be known as Team Deathstalker, or Team NRBR, led by Naruto Uzumaki!" he smiled at them.

Ruby cheered, elated that the name she chose was their team name. "Ohhhhhhh this is awesome!" she squealed, wrapping her arms around Naruto, Blake and Ren. "We're gonna be the best. Team. Ever!"

Naruto however, frowned. 'Great, now that I'm the leader I have less time to research… or… I could have more time since I'll decide what things we do…' he pondered to himself, ignoring as the rest of his team (minus Blake because she doesn't know how to have fun) celebrated.

"As much as I enjoy seeing youthful exuberance," Professor Ozpin interrupted, "I'd like it if you'd clear my stage." Team Deathstalker immediately moved off, nervously edging towards their seats as the student body looked at them with amusement.

Ozpin continued, his voice somber. "Now, we've come to a bit of a problem. We unfortunately have two students who did not make it onto a team, due to less students arriving at initiation than we expected. Far be it from me to remove students due to the failings of another, so I've decided that both of these remaining two students will be sorted as… students to a higher team."

The student body erupted into a cacophony of arguments, all trying to seize Ozpin's attention.

"This will not hamper you in any way; you will simply be responsible, as a team, for your younger students' growth." Ozpin spoke quietly, immediately silencing the room. "They'll take classes with the rest of their year, and unfortunately they will not participate in the Vytal Tournament unless the Team Leader decides to bring them in in the place of one of the other members of the team." he continued, looking pleased with himself as Goodwitch frowned at him, disapproval written all over her face.

"At the end of the year we'll see if this method of education has functioned, and if this student has advanced as much as their peers. If so, we may make it a graduation requirement that your team takes on a student at some point." he said calmly, watching the student body despair, waiting for who would be given another teammate.

"Firstly; would Team REVB step forward?" he asked, as a tall, dark-skinned man with blue armour stepped forward, followed by a blond with a blue vest and white shirt, a faunus with purple hair in a ponytail along with reddish brown robes, and Belkar.

"You will be taking on this student; would Dove Bronzewing please make their way forward." As Dove walks forward the rest of the students can see the trepidation in each step, as he squints up at the team waiting for him. The leader of Team REVB steps forward, holding out his arm.

"My name is Roy Greenhilt. Welcome to the Team, Dove." he welcomed, shaking his hand firmly. Dove visibly relaxes, shaking his hand back. "Thank you…" he whispered as he followed them from the stage.

Ozpin smiled warmly. 'Hopefully Mr. Bronzewing's Semblance will help that team…' he mused, before calling another team forward.

"Now, finally would Team APAD make their way to the stage?" he asked, watching as a student stood up, walking to the stage.

"My apologies, Headmaster, but the rest of our team isn't here right now. They're preparing our room, although I suspect that we shall require another." the leader said calmly, gazing at Ozpin, who smiled thinly.

"Of course Mr. De la Fere. Would Weiss Schnee please make her way to the stage?" A young girl dressed all in white walks up onto the stage, her expression quite thoroughly displaying her annoyance. Ozpin essentially hands her over to Team APAD, and as the duo leave the stage, addresses the students once more.

"All new students will be required to pick up their student scrolls from Professor Goodwitch before your first class tomorrow. Also, I must speak with the Team Leaders today. Please come to my office after this is concluded." he finished, taking a long sip from his coffee as he strolled away (which he pulled from somewhere). Professor Goodwitch marched forward, glaring at the students.

"You are dismissed!" she ordered, and the students fell away like rats, scurrying as far from her as possible as they began to talk about the new method being explored by Ozpin.

**AN:**

**Holy shit. Longest chapter yet! Well, I guess you can see from what's above why this took so long! Now, to get into the fun part! Who can guess who Team APAD is? Believe me, I think Weiss is going to have fun with this team! I'm actually happy with the way this chapter turned out. Whoever guesses who Team APAD is can PM me, and I'll answer ONE question you have about the story, no hiding anything.**

**Honestly, I just called them Team Deathstalker because after I randomly assigned teams I couldn't think of a good colour. But Peachskin is good (although Yang will probably insist on being called Team Pain).**

**Anyways, I think I need to address this AGAIN, since reviews are still popping up about it: Naruto is NOT giving Chakra, the RWBY characters DON'T HAVE Chakra, and they NEVER WILL.**

**Thanks to the reviewer who pointed out that I forgot Gravity Dust.**

**Thank you to Laxard for pointing out an error, I corrected it! **

**Thank you to OtsutsukiMadara, your message made me laugh!**

**Have a nice day, do what you will, I won't be updating for like another month at least (school is now eating my soul).**

**-Pad**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: A Conference**

Naruto was more than happy to lead his team to their dorm, but after nearly an hour of talking with the rest of the group, he realized that he had his meeting with Obito and Kakashi to get to. So, he used his excuse giving skills from his time as an Academy Student.

"Sorry guys, but I have a thing I need to get to." Naruto apologized, backing towards the door. "Tell you what, while I'm gone you can all decorate the room. Uhhh, I put Ren in charge of supervision. See ya!" and with that, he'd bolted from the room, heading for an out of the way corner where he'd be able to Kamui without being seen.

However, on the way he heard a noise he recognized instantly, one that he'd been intimately familiar with in his childhood. Someone was crying. Walking closer to the noise, he saw that girl in white… what was her name… Weiss! She was crying behind a statue. He groaned, but the meeting could wait a bit.

"Hey, are you alright?" he asked, approaching her slowly so that she doesn't freak out. Of course, this doesn't go according to plan, and she jumps in the air, before scowling at him.

"Of course I'm alright! I'm perfectly healthy!" she grouched at him. Naruto sighed, before sitting down next to her on the ground. After a few seconds of him looking up at her, she sat down too.

"Is this because you weren't put on the team you wanted?" he asked, his genuine sympathy colouring his voice. She nodded.

"I wanted to be the leader of my own team, but now-!" she cut herself off, taking a deep breath. "I should be grateful; I'll be learning much from this older team, but, well…" she trailed off, unsure of how to continue. Naruto finished her sentence for her, however.

"They're already a team. You don't feel like there's much you can bring?" he guessed, and she looked at him in shock.

"Exactly! They're already a group of remarkable people, all extremely talented! It would be better if we were all different so that I could learn more, but they're all very similar to me! And they're all better than me I bet, being Third Years and all…" she sighed, sagging downwards. "I'm just realizing that I'm not going to stand out here… I'll be in their shadows the entire time." she said, before scowling. "Why am I telling you this?! You're just a brute… you don't have a weapon, and I saw what you did in the locker room! You…" she started scowling furiously. Naruto was quick to diffuse the situation.

"I'm sorry that you didn't get onto the team you wanted and that you don't think you can distinguish yourself, but you need to realize something."

"What?" she looked at him oddly.

"You're here to become a Huntress. That means your first and most important duty is to protect the people out there." he gestured out the window, Vale glowing faintly in the distance. "I understand the need to become stronger. But why are you trying to? What's your reason?" he persisted, Weiss looking out at Vale, her expression inscrutable.

"I don't see why I need to tell you that." she responded haughtily, if a little peeved. Naruto shrugged.

"That's true. It's not my place to tell you why to fight. But I think you need to think about that yourself. The purpose of a Huntsman or Huntress is to defend the people from the darkness. If you aren't willing to do that, then you need to find out why." he stood up, and turned to bow to Weiss. "Thank you for your time, I do hope that you resolve this problem."

And with that, he set off, angling towards the elevator, Weiss watching him depart with a bemused expression on her face. Slipping into the elevator, he quickly activated the Kamui, twirling him away into the Kamui dimension.

* * *

As his feet settled on the gray stone floor, he looked about. He couldn't see Kakashi or Obito yet, which either meant he missed them or was early. A quick glance at the clock revealed that he was slightly early (unless Kakashi was late for this as well, in which case he was really early). Stretching his arms, he began to think about the squad he was in back at Beacon. Now that they were all students, he expected that when he left they'd either get a new leader, or maybe one of them would become a leader with Weiss taking his place. Either way, it would work out.

Looking around the dimension, he noticed that the dimension was a little less empty than before. Some of the cubes had begun to reform in the distance, and he could see that while they were small, they were still growing.

'Does this mean that in a few months Obito's dimension will be completely back?' he thought, curious as his mind began trying to digest the information. 'It can't be a jutsu… I wonder what it is? Maybe an inherent piece of his Time Space?'

As he pondered, a whirring sound alerted him to the presence of newcomers. Turning around, he saw Obito spiral into existence, Kakashi holding his arm. The first thing he noticed was the Hokage hat resting on Kakashi's head. With a grin, Naruto moved towards them.

"Nice hat Kakashi-Sensei!" he called out, waving. Kakashi took a step back, eyes widening.

"Naruto?" he asked, his voice strained. Naruto looked at him, confused.

"Yeah Sensei?"

Kakashi eye smiled at him. "Looks like Obito was telling the truth… I'm so sorry, Naruto. We gave up on you…" he trailed off, his voice pained. Obito patted him on the back.

"Kakashi, we have a chance here to get him back!" Obito said forcefully. "Stop blaming yourself for this and we can start planning!" See, Obito knew how to get Kakashi back on track.

Kakashi nodded, steel filling his eyes. "Naruto, Obito told me that you'd only experienced a couple days since leaving the battle; as you know, I'm the Hokage now. I have an entire division working on bringing you home. It's been two years, there have been advances in Sealing Jutsu since you left." he hurried out, "In fact, our current working theory based on what Obito told us, is to create a whole new body for you, then use Yamanaka Mind Transfer techniques to bring you home." he concluded, looking pleased with himself. Naruto frowned.

"A new body? That sounds… like what Orochimaru was doing…" he said slowly, Obito sighing as they neared this part of the conversation.

"I'm afraid that after the war, we sacked all of Orochimaru's labs. We have all his data, and are striving to use it for good. Using his notes, we've concluded that we can create a sort of Blood Clone of you, which we can use to bring you back."

Naruto scowled. "I don't want to be a copy. There's a difference between me and my clones, and I don't want to just be a clone for the rest of my life. Are there any other ways?" he asked.

Obito cut in. "Naruto, that's only the method we know for sure will work. As it is, we've barely had enough time to begin research. Honestly, the biggest problem here is getting you back at all. We need to make you belong to our Time-Space again." Naruto nodded slowly, considering. After a while, he looked up at them.

"What if I leapt into Timeless Space again, and we made some kind of rope thing to pull me back?" he asked, curious. Kakashi paused, considering.

"Well, Obito would know more about this than I would, but I don't see a way we could tether you to our Time-Space. At best you'd be sending yourself to a completely random one, which doesn't seem like a great idea." he decided, before looking at Obito. "What do you think?"

Obito considered the idea. "At the very least, you could try using something like the Flying Raijin to get home from Liquid Space. However, I agree with Kakashi. You could fly out over a thousand years from now, in another completely random Time-Space, one that could be intolerable to human life."

Kakashi concurred. "I agree. At this time, I think it's best that we simply research for another way to bring you back, and if we can't find a way in say… how about a year?" Naruto shrugged.

"I was thinking this wouldn't take long at all… in the Time-Space I landed in there are records of people who've come from other dimensions and who have left for them." Kakashi and Obito turned to look at him, shocked.

"Really? Obito mentioned you were tutoring a young girl, but I didn't think that they'd be better prepared than us to handle this…" Kakashi mused.

"They're definitely not as skilled as the best of ours, but they have far more Genin level and Chunin level warriors in Remnant. And honestly, their tools are way better than ours." Naruto confessed. "They have machines that can fly, towers that let anyone in the world communicate instantly, and have guns, which are better than kunai and easier to use." Kakashi was intrigued.

"Better? How so? The guns that we've encountered in our world have been... well, for lack of a better word, crap."

Naruto didn't even need to think. "They're faster, although not by much, and only if you're around Chunin level when you're using kunai, and they have a far longer range. They also can fire them at a much faster rate than we can throw kunai. I believe it has to do with their power source, although I have yet to investigate further."

Kakashi smiled happily. "It appears Obito was right. You have gotten better at explaining, and giving mission reports." he praised, which resulted in Naruto blushing. "Well, in this case I think you should research how to get home from there. We'll meet every week at this time until we find a way for you to get home." he decided, shifting the Hokage hat on his head. Naruto nodded happily.

"I've also talked with the leader of one of the schools in this Time-Space. His name is Ozpin, and he seems to know a bit about different dimensions."

Kakashi frowned. "You told him where you were from?" he asked lowly. Naruto nodded.

"I didn't think he'd believe me, Sensei! I was just using it as an excuse like you do, but then he checked my Chakra and found out I was telling the truth!" he explained hurriedly, embarrassed at failing to hide his identity. Obito laughed, before slinging an arm over Kakashi's shoulder.

"Kakashi, maybe this'll work out. This Ozpin might be able to help Naruto, and honestly, if he tries anything Naruto can just stop him easily. I think it's fine, it's like when Minato-Sensei wouldn't disguise himself when we went on missions near the Hidden Stone." Kakashi sighed, before agreeing.

"Fine. If he can help you get home, then I guess we have no real choice. But Naruto, you need to be discreet. The last thing we need is a horde of people from another Time-Space coming in to attack us." he ordered, minorly paranoid. Naruto nodded shortly.

"Sure thing Kakashi-Sensei." he said. Kakashi smiled proudly.

"You really are turning into a fine young Shinobi, Naruto." he approved. "Now go research. We'll continue on our end; see you in a week!" Naruto nodded, before he vanished from where he'd been standing with a quick Kamui.

Turning to Obito, he frowned. "He doesn't seem like himself." Obito nodded slowly.

"Yeah. He's… more Uchiha-like than I thought he'd be."

Kakashi agreed. "Maybe it's the eyes?" he suggested.

Obito shook his head. "I think it's the loss. Like all the Uchiha, Naruto isn't dealing with it. He's bottling it up, and soon, it'll explode."

Kakashi sighed. "Let's hope we can get him home before that happens."

**AN:**

**Here's a short chapter, since I wrote the last big one. Now, cheers for Ultimate demon god zero for guessing the composition of Team APAD! Well done! And thanks to everyone else who got the Annatar name drop! I'll say this: it wasn't a cameo. Dude was there, and he did stuff. Ohhhhh, so much fun!**

**Once more, thank you to Wind Dragon Master! Your reviews never cease to be insightful and helpful! Thank you for the three points at the beginning of it, I'm glad you liked those little details!**

**Here's a little something I need to say; if this is becoming too much like a crack fic for people, then guess what: I don't care. I like telling little jokes here and there, and just because Ozpin bet Glynda doesn't mean she's his slave. It means that Ozpin is willing to transfer one of his teachers for a chance to win coffee. Fight me.**

**Have a nice day, wish me luck on the AP English Literature Exam I'm taking the day after tomorrow!**

**-Pad**


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: The Clocktower Strikes**

As Naruto reappeared on the cliffs of the Emerald Forest, he glanced up at the sun; it was beginning it's downwards descent, which meant it was just after midday. Feeling oddly chipper after the productive meeting with Kakashi and Obito, he decided that he'd find out if Ozpin had kept his word.

Namely, if Beacon had ramen.

Maybe he could take the rest of Team Deathstalker with him… he thought to himself as he walked towards the school. As he marched, he saw a guy in a white shirt with blue vest walking towards the Emerald Forest, their scroll in their hand as they tapped at it slowly, taking pauses in between taps. It was a member of Team REVB, the blonde. Naruto ignored him as they passed each other, although he heard the boy mumbling to himself.

"Let's see… A fell day, a Grimm day? No, too obvious. Remember what Roy said, leave the low hanging fruit…" he mumbled as he walked by, Naruto bemused by his rambling.

'Not my problem. Now, let's go get my ramen!' he mentally cheered and vanquished thoughts from his mind, before running towards the school. As he swerved through the trees, he began to think about how he was going to get home.

'I think the first step should be checking the library. They might have some stuff, and maybe I can talk with Ozpin.' he decided to go to the library first, and then he'd go to Ozpin with all that he found, and ask if Ozpin had anything else to add. Oh, he knew Ozpin probably had his own agenda, but honestly it didn't matter. He could just leave if Ozpin got pushy.

Leaping down to the doorway into the cafeteria, Naruto could smell the food found within. "Hmmmmmmmm!" he hummed appreciatively. "Raaaaaaaamen…" he opened the door quietly, not wanting to attract too much attention. After all, it would be that much harder to leave afterwards if the other students wanted him to stay, he reasoned.

Slinking to the bar at the back, he saw one of the Beacon Staff manning the post. Waving him over, Naruto smiled brightly.

"Hey! Ozpin said you guys have ramen?" he said, although his tone indicated that it was a question. The staff member smiled brightly at him.

"Ah, yes! You must be Uzumaki! Ozpin told us to get ramen from Vale for you; honestly, it was a bit tricky considering it's a traditional Mistrali dish, but fortunately for you, Remy was from Mistral and knew how to make it from the raw ingredients." Naruto nodded, not really caring about the backstory of how the ramen came to be, simply that it was there, and waiting for him.

"Oi! Remy!" the cook called over his shoulder, "Uzumaki's here! Got his dish?!" Naruto flinched and glanced over his shoulder. Sure enough, Team PAYNE was there and waving at him now that they'd heard that he was in the room. He groaned, slumping slightly.

However, as a bowl of ramen slid beneath his drooping face the smell revived him. Grinning ear to ear, he smiled at the chef who'd given it to him.

"I guess you're Remy?" he asked, pulling to bowl towards him. The cook scoffed.

"No, my name's Rem. Only Jeon calls me Remy. Now get out of here! The other students need to eat as well, you know!" Naruto grinned and walked off. As he neared an empty table he sat down with a sigh of contentment. Now it was just him, and his ramen. Too bad his friends weren't here as well, but he'd get home soon enough.

Right before he could dig in, he felt someone moving up behind him. Not sensing negative intent, he decided to ignore them. However, when he felt the bench beneath him wobble, he turned to see who was daring to sit next to him during his ramen eating time. Of course it would be Yang.

"Hey Whiskers! Wanna come sit at our table?" she asked, leaning forward and resting her cheek on her fist. Naruto noted that she still had her gauntlets on, and shrugged.

"Nah, I'll be leaving after I finish this bowl." he said calmly. Yang smiled and shrugged.

"So? Doesn't mean you can't come sit with us!" she cheered, reaching to grab his arm. Naruto's hand flashed out, grabbing her wrist firmly.

"Don't. I just want to sit here, eat my lunch, then leave. Got it?" he nearly growled, his eyes flashing red for a brief second. Yang scowled and wrenched her arm free. Or rather, she tried to. Frowning, she looked at her arm, grasped in his hand and realized his hand hadn't moved a single millimeter.

"Let go of me, Naruto." she snarled, eyes flashing red. Naruto released her, and sat back in his seat. After a brief moment of growling, Yang tore herself away from his table, and moved back to her team.

"That didn't appear to go well." remarked Pyrrha as she sat down. "What did you say to him?"

Yang frowned. "I just invited him to our table and then he just grabbed me! It was like he was someone completely different."

Nora scoffed. "Completely different? I don't know who you've been looking at Yang, but that was exactly the way he was during initiation." Yang's brow drew together, furrowing in thought.

"What do you mean, Nora? He's always been so upbeat and happy!" she exclaimed, slamming her fist on the table. "He shouldn't be behaving like this!"

Jaune tentatively raised his hand, and Pyrrha nodded to him.

"Yes Jaune?"

He gulped audibly as Yang turned to glare at him. "Well, I'm sorry Yang, but from here it kinda looked like he blew you off and you grabbed at him…" his voice shrank down to a whisper as she glared at him, eyes burning red by the end. Before she could yell at him, Nora agreed.

"Yeah… I mean, you just grabbed at his arm! Why did you do that if he didn't want to come over?" she asked, her voice curious.

"Well he should've come over! It would've been better if he did, so I just…" she trailed off as her eyes faded back into lilac, widening.

"Do you think that he thought I was attacking him?" she asked, voice hushed. Pyrrha shook her head firmly, however.

"No Yang, I don't think so. I think he just didn't want to come over, and when you tried to force him to he simply stopped you." Jaune agreed.

"Naruto's a nice guy, but if he doesn't want to come over I don't think dragging him kicking and screaming is going to help. Let him come over when he wants to, not when you want him to." he pointed out.

Yang smiled at him, a bit guilty. "You know, you would've made a pretty good leader as well." she teased, making Jaune blush.

"Nahhh, you don't mean that!" he waved her off. Pyrrha contested this.

"Actually Jaune, I think you would've made a wonderful leader! In fact, do you want to help me strategize later?" she asked, blushing a bit. Yang grinned and sat back, Nora joining her as they watched the conversation unfold.

"He's really clueless, isn't he?" Nora asked, watching Jaune start writing down their names on a napkin as he began to strategize, Pyrrha's face a trifle downcast as she pointed things out.

"Yeah, he is. But you know, watching him now, I wonder why he wasn't made leader?" Yang wondered. Pyrrha was a great fighter, probably as good as her, but she wouldn't be able to lead them effectively from the center of the fighting. She shrugged. Ozpin probably had his reasons.

Nora shrugged. "Maybe, but I think that Pyrrha's the best leader we could have! I mean, she's Pyrrha!" she exclaimed happily.

"Yeah, you're right." Yang agreed. "I just hope Naruto becomes a good leader in time for his Team." she cast her eyes over at Naruto, who was leaving the cafeteria, his ramen eaten.

* * *

Naruto frowned as he walked down the hallways. He had… absolutely no idea where the library was. It wouldn't do to ask Ozpin, that would be ridiculous. He'd learned a little bit regarding how to treat authority figures, thank you very much!

This left him with three choices. Look for it, and maybe find it using Shadow Clones, ask a teacher, or ask an older student. A mere moment of reflection was needed, before Kokuo spoke up.

"**Naruto, try to find an older student. If you use Shadow Clones there's a chance someone will see you and your clones, which would be bad."** he advised. Naruto agreed with Kokuo's wise counsel, and headed towards the main plaza. He'd seen some students there from the windows. As he marched out the great doors leading to Beacon's foyer, he was pleased to see a wide assortment of students cluttering around the plaza. Strolling around the fountain, he began to choose his target.

"**Meh. Why bother choosing who to talk to? Just go up to someone and ask them!"** Naruto flinched at Son Goku's bellow, his headache worsening a bit. But he agreed with the idea.

'Yeah… let's go talk to that girl.' Walking up to a girl standing by herself, Naruto noticed her bunny ears atop her head rather immediately.

'Huh. Bunny ears, huh? Must be one of the Faunus.' he noted before smiling at her.

"Hi! Could you help me?" he asked, waving at her as he walked slowly to her. She turned and looked at him curiously, her ears standing ramrod straight as she fidgeted slightly.

"A-are you talking to me?" she stuttered, looking confused. Naruto nodded, smiling brightly.

"Yeah! I'm looking for the library! Would you know where it is?" he asked, posture noticeably lazy, designed to put her at ease. Sure enough, it worked, and she relaxed before smiling back at him.

"Oh, it's just down the West Wing, next to the Transfer Dorms." Naruto frowned slightly, but she noticed all the same.

"The West Wing is the wing extending from the west side of Beacon tower." she smiled at him as he flushed.

"Oh, I knew that!" she giggled as he stammered out his response.

"Sure. Well, good luck finding what you're looking for. Would you mind…" she trailed off before continuing, "why are you searching for the library? It's not even the first day of class!"

Naruto nodded, still flushed. "Well, I have some research I'm doing for a pet project, and thought the Beacon library would have information that could help me." he hedged.

"Well, good luck with that!" she smiled at him. Nodding to her, Naruto turned and left.

"Thanks!" he called over his shoulder, waving as he headed for the West Wing.

* * *

Entering the library was easy enough; all he had to do was walk through large double doors featuring a crown on each one, embossed with brass and gold. They were also inlaid with crystals, which, while intriguing, were nothing compared to the wealth of knowledge within. As Naruto wandered the great hall, he noticed the terminals where students were working. Mentally facepalming, he realized that he had a meeting with Ozpin, along with the other leaders. He'd probably get his scroll then, which would allow him access to the student terminals. Spinning about, he set off for the elevator.

As he ran down the halls leading to the elevator, he came across team PAYN's leader Pyrrha. She was walking at a leisurely pace towards the elevator. Hearing him, she turned around wondering what the noise was.

"Oh, Naruto!" she exclaimed, looking a mix between pleased and nervous. "Are you heading to Professor Ozpin's office as well?"

"Yeah, we should-" Naruto cut himself off when he saw Jaune standing behind Pyrrha looking bored. "Why are you here, Jaune?" he asked, bemused.

"Oh, Pyrrha wanted me to come because she felt like I would be a good leader." Jaune said proudly. Naruto frowned imperceptibly, and nodded.

"That seems like a good idea!" 'No it doesn't… this is setting up discord.' He smiled at them and thought to himself with a mental frown. 'This would be like putting me and Sai in charge of a mission… you just don't put more than one person in command.'

He put on a placid face for them though. Hopefully Ozpin would send Jaune away so that Pyrrha wouldn't need to.

"Oh thanks!" Jaune said, sarcasm seeping into his voice. "I honestly don't think this is a good idea, Pyrrha. What if you're the only person to bring your partner?" he asked nervously, seeing no sign of Ruby with Naruto.

"Oh Jaune! People need to know that we're equal! I think that the best way to do that is if I bring my teammate to the meetings!"

Jaune frowned. "But Pyrrha… you're the leader. Not me, and not Nora. You are." Pyrrha laughed nervously.

"W-well, that doesn't really mean anything!"

Naruto intervened. "It doesn't mean anything unless you want it to." he spoke, keeping his head straight and looking away from them as they walked. "If you wish for your teammates to be your equals, then yes, you're making a good call. But that will cause problems."

He shuddered imagining Yang or Nora as leaders. "If you don't assert your dominance as the leader, then what makes you think you'll be able to keep your team in line?" Pyrrha frowned.

"I won't have to; I trust my team to do what's right!" she nodded firmly. Naruto mentally applauded her faith, before stomping down on the applause. He'd seen what faith could do to a team. If Kakashi had been firmer with Team Seven, maybe things would've been different.

"Very well then. I wish you luck organising your team." he conceded the debate. Pyrrha however, was far from over.

"It's a bit hypocritical of you to tell me to control my team. As far as I know, you haven't spent any time with yours since initiation. Do you even know where they are?" she asked, cross. Naruto's flinch was unnoticeable to the untrained eye as he responded in turn. "Ren's putting the room together while I go to the meeting with Ozpin. Besides, everything should turn out fine without me." he justified, ending the conversation with his tone.

The ride up the elevator was a tense affair. Pyrrha habitually glanced at Naruto, and then looked away with a huff. Jaune, while ignorant of most social cues, could tell that Naruto thought it was a bad idea for him to go to the meeting, and was therefore nervous about it. As they neared the top, he brought it up again.

"Pyrrha, I really think that-" and she cut him off.

"Jaune, we are a team. That means we're all equals in this group, and I want you to come with me to these meetings. If Professor Ozpin doesn't want you there, then…" she trailed off, thinking of what to say before resolutely committing to her path. "Then I won't go to these meetings!" she declared, proud of her resilience.

Jaune's response was interrupted by the chime of the door opening, and Naruto brusquely moved past them into the office, which was currently occupied by nearly thirty other students, which Naruto surmised to be the team leaders from all years. Moving to the right side of the room, he slouched in the back and utilized one of his great shinobi skills.

'Ninja Art: Genjutsu: Peeper's Delight. Damn it Pervy Sage…' he thought to himself as the only Genjutsu he'd learned from Jiraiya seeped into place. While the Jutsu was completely ineffective in combat, it worked wonders when applied outside of combat. Simply, people would be hard pressed to notice him, and if they weren't actively looking for him, they would simply ignore his presence. It consumed a vast amount of Chakra however, hence why he was able to use it. Jiraiya had devised the Jutsu to peep on Tsunade, although it had badly misfired. He'd run out of Chakra, and then Tsunade had promptly pummeled him to pieces.

Ozpin cleared his throat, looking around his office from behind his desk. "Now that everyone's here, we can begin.

"Firstly, this year Beacon is hosting the Vytal Festival. This means that instead of midterms, you will all be evaluated based on your performance in the tournament, or in the preliminary rounds."

The room was filled with grumbling at that, and Naruto noticed that a few teams looked dismayed at the idea.

"Secondly, I'd like to welcome our new Team Leaders to the group, since the other FIrst Year leaders are already here. You all know Pyrrha Nikos…" he gestured to her, before his eyes narrowed. "And… Mr. Arc, why are you here?" he asked, his voice bland.

Jaune paled noticeably, flinching away from all the eyes on him. "Oh, uhhh, well…" he stammered, shrinking in on himself as he felt the eyes pressuring him.

"I brought him with me, Professor." Pyrrha saved him, drawing everyone's attention to her. "My teammates deserve to know what impacts them, and be able to make decisions for themselves." she said firmly.

"Ms. Nikos, you are aware that we appointed you as the leader for a reason, yes?" Ozpin sighed, sipping at his mug. Pyrrha nodded, and he continued before she could speak again. "And yet you decided to ignore the very basic structure and hierarchy of Beacon, which dates back nearly a century, because you felt like your team deserves the same as you?"

Pyrrha nodded firmly. "Just because you appointed me as the leader doesn't make me more qualified than anyone else on my team. I refuse to be lauded for something like that." she declared, standing tall as she proudly faced the accumulated Team Leaders.

Ozpin stood from behind his desk, setting his mug down with a light clink on the glass surface. "Ms. Nikos, are you saying you are not going to perform as the leader for your team?" he asked, eyeing her seriously. Pyrrha shook her head.

"I will perform as required, Headmaster, but my teammates are my equals. I'm not better than them, or beyond them." she said firmly, with a few Team Leaders chuckling at her statement.

"Girl, I've seen your record." another leader spoke up, "You could wipe the floor with your entire team, at the same time!" Pyrrha frowned, her eyes downcast before Ozpin spoke up.

"Very well then." he said warmly, looking at her as she raised her eyes to meet his. "I've never hidden the fact that I've made many mistakes during my life… and it appears I have done so yet again. Ms. Nikos, do you wish to abdicate your position as Team Leader?" he asked formally, his cane tucked behind his back as he leaned forward over his desk.

"Professor, I would." she said evenly. He nodded.

"Well alright then. As of this moment, you are stripped of your title as Team Leader. The position will be taken up by Mr. Arc in your place. Should he refuse to take this responsibility, I'm afraid that we will be forced to break your Team into… fragments to be delivered under the leadership of established Team Leaders. Do I make myself clear?" he said, his voice growing colder as he reached the end of his verdict. Jaune audibly swallowed, before nodding. Ozpin smiled warmly at him.

"Have no fear, Mr. Arc. I know that you will perform admirably in this capacity." he encouraged, before looking at Pyrrha again. "And you are no longer needed here, Ms. Nikos. You may leave now." he looked after her as she left, with Jaune's gaze lingering on the elevator door.

Ozpin cleared his throat. "Now that that's dealt with, we have another matter to speak of." his eyes clearly showed his amusement. "I am pleased to introduce you all to Mr. Naruto Uzumaki." he gestured to Naruto, who smiled grimly. It appeared Ozpin noticed him through his illusion. It was no surprise, to be honest. In fact, it reaffirmed Naruto's belief that Ozpin knew what he was doing.

The rest of the leaders however were confused. The few near him noticed him and nodded at him, but for the rest whose vision was obscured, he was impossible to notice. He dropped the illusion when people stopped looking for him, and was happy to hear Ozpin was talking again, diverting their attention to him.

"Now that all the new leaders have been introduced, we can move onto the real reason for this meeting." he spoke up, eyes twinkling with mirth. "First Years, please collect your Scrolls from Glynda in the staffroom. Second Years, you now have access to the Beacon Mission Board. You can take missions as a team only. Third Years, you may now take Missions in groups of two if you so wish, and Fourth Years may take Missions on your own. Don't take Missions below your assigned rank, and have a nice day." he sat back down, turning his chair to look out the window.

"Mr. Arc and Mr. Uzumaki, please remain. The rest of you First Year leaders may leave." he said as the leaders stepped into his elevator. Naruto moved away from it towards Jaune, who looked like a deer caught between a Fire Jutsu and Kunai trap. Stepping next to him, Naruto slapped him on the back, startling him and nearly knocking him over.

"Don't worry, Jaune. I got'cha." Naruto reassured, standing beside him. Honestly, Jaune being a good three inches taller than him made him feel like he was the one being supported, but Jaune merely smiled at him.

"Thanks Naruto." Naruto smiled at him grimly.

"Let's just get this over with, alright? Ozpin's a pretty good guy, so we're probably not in trouble." he reassured Jaune who untensed and groaned.

"Oh, good! What do you think he needs us for?"

"My bet's on something involving the Vytal Festival, whatever that is." Naruto thought aloud. "Ozpin told me earlier he wanted a winning team this time, and that Beacon had lost the last couple." Jaune paled considerably.

"That's why he wants to talk to us?! Why does he think we'll win?! We're just First Years!" he cried out, drawing the attention of the few students yet to go down the elevator, one of them walking over.

"Stressing about the Headmaster?" he guessed. Glancing at him, both Naruto and Jaune recognized him as the Leader of Team APAD.

"Yeah… your name is Della right?" Naruto asked, with Jaune facepalming, before speaking up.

"Naruto, his name is De La Fere. That means 'Of the Fere', which is a titular last name, usually denoting nobility or rank." Jaune lectured, with Naruto nodding along.

"Oh, that makes sense. So it's like a moniker?" he asked De La Fere, who nodded, smiling.

"Although it's hereditary, not earned through combat or other such activity. However, you may call me Athos, if you would." he bowed, his Beacon uniform making the movement slightly less graceful than it would otherwise be, but not hiding that he was comfortable with such movements.

"Nice ta meet'cha, Athos!" Naruto chirped happily, with Jaune echoing the sentiment warmly.

"I gotta say I wasn't expecting to meet someone who kept the old names." Athos remarked, looking at Jaune. "Arc, huh? You're supposed to be a line of heroes, although I heard that in recent generations you'd fallen out of that path." he said offhandedly, but Jaune saw it for what it was. And inquiry.

"W-well I felt that it would be good for someone in the family to continue the tradition." Jaune stammered, paling slightly. Athos nodded warmly.

"I'm glad. If you're anything like the Arcs of old, I look forward to seeing you duel." Athos praised, looking at them warmly. Jaune fidgeted a bit, before rousing the courage to ask a question.

"W-would you give me some advice? Some tips for sword fighting?" he asked hopefully. He wasn't so arrogant to assume he knew all there was to know, Naruto decided. It was good to see Jaune striving to improve.

Athos frowned. "In general, people only ask for advice that they may not follow it or if they should follow it that they may have somebody to blame for having given it." he spoke, his intonement implying it was a quote.

Jaune nodded slowly. "Even so, I would ask for your aid." he said, his inflection becoming slightly more formal than normal. Naruto's brows furrowed at that.

'Is he reverting to an old style of speaking?' he mused, watching Athos smile.

"You have time to learn, Jaune D'Arc. Why ask for my aid while you have the renowned Pyrrha Nikos as your partner?" he asked, his voice genial as he watched Jaune frown.

"I need to get strong quickly. I know I'm behind my teammates…" Jaune said as he glanced at Naruto and then back at Athos.

"And… I can't ask Pyrrha. Just from a day of knowing her I know she won't teach me what I need to learn." he admitted. It wasn't anything against Pyrrha, but she fought in tournaments from what he'd gathered. And he was smart enough to know that he didn't have the time to learn that style of combat. Although the admission pained him, seeing Naruto and Yang fighting had made him realize he didn't have the luxury of time.

"Time, Jaune, time brings round opportunity; opportunity is the martingale of man. The more we have ventured the more we gain, when we know how to wait." Athos quoted again, giving him a smile. "You don't yet know what the future may bring. If in a month you still desire lessons, then I would be honoured to help you." he bowed, before begging his exit.

Saying their goodbyes to Athos, Naruto and Jaune glanced back at Ozpin, who was regarding Jaune with approval.

"Now, Mr. Arc, before we continue we must discuss a minor discrepancy with your transcripts. Would you like Mr. Uzumaki to leave for this conversation?" he asked kindly, his eyes looking down into his mug as he swirled it contemplatively. Jaune wilted, his fears coming back full force.

"I-if you wouldn't mind sir, I would like to have this conversation alo-" he paused, looking at Naruto, who could tell this was serious. Looking at Jaune, he shrugged.

"I'll leave if you'd like." he said calmly. This seemed to restore some of Jaune's admittedly small fire, and when he spoke again to the Headmaster, and the wobble in his voice faded into obscurity.

"I'd like Naruto to be here, sir." he said firmly. Ozpin nodded happily.

"Good. You've passed the last test I had for you, and I must say I'm glad." he complimented.

"Sir?" Jaune questioned.

"I am well aware of the nature of your transcripts, Mr. Arc. I very nearly did not allow you into my Academy due to their… nature. Can you guess why I did allow you entry?" he asked, his fingers steepling over his desk as he looked at Jaune with intense eyes. Jaune frowned.

"I… was it because of my family?" he asked, unsure. Ozpin nodded slowly.

"But what about your family do you think enticed me into inviting you to my school?" he asked, his voice curious, prompting. Jaune thought, his eyes steeling over as he considered.

"You wouldn't have allowed me entry if you knew about my transcripts unless there was something inherent in my family that interested you… and that would need to go beyond simply being descended from heroes." Jaune analyzed, and Ozpin nodded at him, encouraging him to continue.

"Is it because I'm good at strategy?" Jaune asked frankly. Ozpin shook his head.

"While you are a good strategist, as evidenced by your performance in the written tests, that would not be enough to get you by in my school. Tell me, what do you know of the Schnee Semblance?" he asked out of the blue.

Jaune frowned. "Are you talking about Weiss' white things?" he asked for clarification, and Ozpin nodded. "Nothing… sir. I don't know anything." he said defeatedly. Naruto frowned, starting to get an idea about what was wrong with Jaune's transcripts.

"Well," continued Ozpin, eyes glinting, "their Semblance is one that passes down through their family." he explained. Before he could continue, Jaune cut him off.

"Sir, with respect, my family's not like the Schnees! I've heard the stories about my heroic forefathers! None of them had the same Semblance!" he exclaimed. Ozpin sighed.

"Mr. Arc, please have some restraint. I do in fact have a reason for bringing them up." he said exasperatedly. Jaune simmered down quickly, flushed.

"Sorry sir!" he squeaked out. Ozpin sighed, before swirling his mug some more. After a minute of silence, he continued.

"There are similarities. Unlike the Schnees, your family's Semblance isn't the same within each member, rather it's method of activation is the same with each member." Ozpin explained, his voice switching tones as he explained. With his explanation came Jaune's excited exclamation.

"You know how to activate my Semblance?!" he cried out, excited. Ozpin nodded grimly, and Naruto suddenly got the feeling that there was something bad about it.

"The activation process however is a large part of why your family has stepped out of the Huntsmen and warrior life however in recent years." Jaune suddenly noticed Ozpin's dour expression, and realized that there may be a reason why his family didn't want him to become a Huntsman.

"The activation process is simple. One of the people closest to your heart must be in mortal peril, and then you awaken a Semblance that will save them. For example, one of your ancestors Pierre had to watch his sister burn alive. He then activated his Semblance which allowed him to create and control water from his Aura, allowing him to douse the flames and save her life." he elucidated clearly, as Jaune's face paled considerably, back to the colouration it had had at the beginning of the conversation.

"Y-you… you mean I need to watch a friend or a member of my FAMILY DIE?!" Jaune cried out, horrified.

Ozpin nodded sadly. "I am afraid so. And unfortunately, we cannot stage this. There were attempts in your family to stage a life or death scenario, but it never worked. The intended target always failed to awaken their Semblance, and the fact that it was staged meant no one ever died. This, unfortunately, means it cannot happen in a controlled environment." seeing Jaune's state, Ozpin put his hand on his shoulder. "I AM sorry, Mr. Arc. But I felt that you should know, given that you are now the replacement leader. I would prefer you retained your innocence a while longer, but given the fact that you already will have enough on your plate dealing with students wondering why you were chosen to 'supplant', as I fear they will regard it, Ms. Nikos, I think that it's best you know this so you do not feel pressured to activate your Semblance. However, I hope you can take comfort in the fact that in most cases, the awakening of the Arc Semblance has saved the life of the one in danger."

Naruto patted Jaune on the back awkwardly. "Think of it this way: it's kinda like a friend coupon!" he joked morbidly. It worked however, and Jaune cracked a smile.

"When you put it like that, I guess it's a good thing…" he said. His eyes watered a bit, but he forced down his fears, and looked at the Headmaster determinedly.

Ozpin smiled sadly. "I'm glad that you regard it this way. That being said, you are still woefully unprepared for Beacon's harsh training regime." Jaune nodded, resigned to it.

"If I can last out the month, maybe Athos could help me." he said hopefully. Ozpin nodded slowly.

"That would indeed be wise; however I cannot in good faith allow you to attempt to survive the ridicule that would ensue. Remember, Mr. Arc, that the students will not regard you with the respect befitting a student. They will wonder why you have taken Ms. Nikos' place, and I fear they will be most harsh in seeing if it was by skill in combat." Jaune winced at that, before resolutely staying his course.

"I am not afraid, Professor." he said, his voice wavering despite his resolve.

"Fortune favours the bold, I suppose…" Ozpin mused aloud, before rising from his seat. "However, I cannot allow you to be found out. Such would reflect poorly upon Beacon, you understand." he explained, eyes twinkling. Jaune nodded sadly.

"Yes sir." Ozpin continued as though he hadn't spoken.

"Which means that you will be tutored by me for the next… let's say two weeks."

"Of course sir, I'll pack my bags and-" Jaune stopped talking, eyes widening. "What did you say?" he whispered, his voice fraught with wonder. Ozpin smiled at him warmly, extricating his cane from his side where it was clipped to his belt.

"I will tutor you, Mr. Arc, for an hour and a half each day for the next two weeks. I shall request that Glynda not call on you for combat class for a week, so you will need to work hard." he explained, and Jaune nodded eagerly.

Naruto frowned. "Professor, why am I here?" he asked, confused. Ozpin put his cane away, deflating somewhat.

"Mr. Uzumaki, I asked you here to be the final test for Mr. Arc. If he sent you away to face the consequences of his actions alone, to keep his pride intact, he would have been stripped of his rank as Leader. Now, he also passed two other tests, and if he'd failed all three I would have expelled him entirely."

Naruto frowned again. "So can I leave?"

"Actually, I wanted to tell you that you're both Beacon's best hope against the creatures of Grimm." Ozpin threw out offhandedly, forcing Naruto and Jaune to make a double-take of his words. "Both your teams will be remarkable in the face of the Grimm, and will defend humanity well. Be proud, both of you, because today we finally made two teams that can win the Vytal Tournament!" he cheered, raising his mug in the air as though to salute some entity above.

Naruto groaned as Jaune beamed with pride. "Alright, Ozpin. Can we leave now?" he groaned, stretching his arms behind his head. Ozpin sighed.

"Of course Mr. Uzumaki. I'm sure you want to get back to your team." he said knowingly, before sitting back down and waving them out. "Thank you both for the wonderful conversation, and Mr. Arc, I expect to see you tomorrow at 6 AM sharp." Jaune nodded quickly and frantically.

"Of course Professor! I won't disappoint you!" he said as Naruto dragged him to the elevator.

**AN:**

**Well, here's another chapter! My exam went well, my thanks to all those who wished me good luck!**

**Now this needs to be addressed: GUNS. I decided that Dust powered guns are significantly better than normal guns. They are essentially powered by magic rocks, and honestly, RWBY-verse needs something to make them at least semi on par with the Naruto-verse. Dust is the answer/solution. I get if you guys don't like this, and yes, it's a bit of a stretch considering we've seen people using guns in RWBY forever and they appear pretty much normal.**

**But hey, this is just me. The average Genin in my fic cannot throw a kunai faster than a Dust powered bullet. A jonin is a completely different story, and for chunin it's kinda up in the air. It really depends on the quality of both the chunin and the gun, in my opinion.**

**Thank you for reading that, I'm aware that a few people have already read it, or something to the effect.**

**Now I hope people know who Team APAD is. If you don't then you're uncultured (hey, don't get mad at me! It's true!).**

**People had some beef with Obito and Kakashi calling out Naruto's stress induced emo-ness. Hey, I get it that ya don't like it! And it does sort of rewrite his character! But I took inspiration from him right after he heard Jiraiya died. He was depressed, and mopey. However, now he knows that he can get home (just like he thought of taking vengeance on Pain) and will strive to get to the point where he can. He might be a bit broody, but at the moment he's still like the Naruto from right after his trip with Jiraiya.**

**A bit of flak from people thinking Kakashi should have warned Naruto that Ozzie was leading him on.**

…

…

**Kakashi knows that Naruto can deal with it even IF Ozpin's playing him. Why warn Naruto that a mosquito might try to bite him?**

**Oh, and for people who don't like how Pyrrha went, the way I figure it would go would be that she'd not want to be elevated above her classmates even more so than she already is. To that effect, she makes a bad leader because she doesn't want to be one. And she gave up the position when given the opportunity.**

**Well, thanks for reading this far! I'm glad you're enjoying it and if you're not, please tell me why! I can't guarantee I'll fix it (the other Naruto characters have a VERY important piece to play, and I won't get rid of them because you don't like it), but I'll consider it at least (which is more than I can say for most politicians, so vote for me!).**

**See you guys some other day,**

**-Pad**


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: End of the Day**

Naruto and Jaune walked back to their dorms together in companionable silence. Jaune walked with a skip in his step, and Naruto was contemplating pulling an all-nighter in the library.

When they arrived at their dorms, Jaune paused outside his door. "Hey, Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you like both our teams to go pick up our scrolls together?" he asked, a happy undertone to his voice. Naruto shrugged.

"Sure. I need to get my scroll anyways to go into the library." he accepted, opening the door and sticking his head in.

"Hey guys!" he said, seeing Ruby pouting in the corner with Blake and Ren sitting quietly on their beds, Blake reading and Ren napping. "We can pick up our scrolls from Professor Goodwitch in the staffroom. You coming?" Ruby leapt to her feet, a crazed look on her face.

"Naruto! Thank god! Pleaaaaaaaase never put Ren in charge again!" she moaned, latching onto his arm like a mollusk. Naruto frowned at Ren, curious.

"Why? What'd he do?"

Ruby moaned, hiding herself behind Naruto as Ren stretched and got up. "He said it was…" her voice dipped into a snarl, "quiet time! He made me sit still and be quiet!"

Naruto cocked an eyebrow at Ren. "Really? You got Ruby to be quiet?" he said, amused. Ren nodded, and Ruby growled at Naruto.

"You put him in charge! Never do that-" she threw a pillow at him, "AGAIN!"

Naruto laughed at her. "Don't worry, Ruby. You can be in charge next time. You guys ready to go get our scrolls?"

Ren nodded and rose to his feet, and Blake glanced up from her book. "Could you guys go get it for me?" she said more than asked.

Ruby shook her head. "Nuh uh, we're gonna go there as a-"

"Sure you can stay here." Naruto cut her off. "See ya." he turned and walked out the door, Ruby trailing behind him, casting forlorn glances back at Blake as Ren closed the door behind them.

* * *

After collecting their scrolls it was late afternoon. Ruby kept fidgeting, and glancing at Naruto, and eventually Ren took pity on her.  
"Do you want to do something Ruby?" he asked, amused. Ruby nodded quickly.

"Yeah! Do you guys wanna go get a training room where we could spar with each other?" she asked, glancing at Naruto. "It could be our first team bonding moment!" she suggested.

Naruto frowned. "Well, I wanted to go to the library, but I guess I have time." he said. 'After all, Ozpin should be getting stuff ready for me to research. He said he'd help me get home.'

"**Yeah, and he wasn't lying about that."** Kurama rumbled from his mindscape. A clamour of voices rose up with his.

"**Are you sure, Kurama? He seemed pretty suspicious to me."** Gyuki spoke up, concerned. Kurama scoffed.

"**Don't forget I can sense negative emotions, Eight Tails."** he snarled, feeling vindicated. Chomei attempted to placate Kurama quietly.

"**Kurama, no one has forgotten your gift from Father. But just because you can tell he doesn't have any hatred for Naruto doesn't mean that he plans on helping us! We should just have faith in Naruto's Sensei Kakashi to bring us home."** Chomei reasoned, with the majority of the Tailed Beasts agreeing with him.

'Guys, I get it. Ozpin's kinda like the Hokage of Beacon. He might have an ulterior motive in this whole thing. But that motive might be him just wanting to get rid of me since I'm an unknown entity, and since he doesn't have lots of negative emotions directed at me, he can't possibly be planning on trying to kill me. Even if he could.'

Ruby interrupted his thought process. "Great! Lead on, Noble Leader!" she cried, pointing into the distance. Naruto shook the cobwebs from his head.

"Alright… let's go then. I guess I haven't really seen what you can do, eh Ren?" he directed at Ren, who nodded solemnly.

"Indeed. And I have yet to see any finesse to your technique." he said stoically. Naruto groaned and looked at him in exasperation.

"W-what are you talking about?!" he cried out, stunned. Ruby quickly sent Ren a grateful nod, which Naruto failed to catch. "I'm super finesse! I was trained by the toads to be really badass!" he whined. It had been some time since he'd been regarded as a Genin level Shinobi (even though they had no idea what a Genin was), and it was a mite grating.

"Oh, it is ON!" Naruto yelled, pointing at Ren. "I'm gonna have you laid out on your BACK!"

Ruby merely cocked his head to the side, his outer calm belying his inner happiness. 'Looks like we finally got him to open up a bit…'

Naruto started dragging them to the training rooms. "I'm gonna kick BOTH your asses, and don't think that just cause you've seen a few of my tricks you can escape this, Ruby!"

* * *

Ren sized up his opponent with an eerie calm. From what he'd seen so far, Naruto was an adaptable fighter capable of dodging with ease, and extraordinarily quick. He'd virtually flown across the battlefield, before intercepting the Deathstalker that was their namesake. This meant he had great strength as well, and-

And he was flying right at him.

Ren's eyes widened as Naruto landed before him in a crouch, eyes glinting black as night as his fist sailed towards Ren's handsome waiting face.

'Oh shi-' his reflexive thought was interrupted by Crescent Rose landing with a crash between the approaching fist and his face. He heard a hissing noise, and a slapping sound, and before he could gather himself he found his head meeting the wall behind him. Fortunately for him, he still had Aura. Unfortunately, the buzzer sounded, with an automated voice calling out.

"Lie Ren: Defeat by Ring-Out." the monotone voice droned, and Ren groggily rose to his feet, and looked into the deep purple cloud. He sighed.

'I guess I need to work on my perception then…' he thought to himself, walking up to the stands to watch the rest of the fight. However, before he reached the stairs he heard the buzzer again. When he spun around, he couldn't see anything save the cloud.

"Ruby Rose: Defeat by Ring-Out." the automated voice called out, and Ren's eyes roamed the rim of the ring, searching for Ruby. After he'd circumnavigated the ring with his eyes, he saw some dust falling in the center of the ring. As his eyes slowly rose to the ceiling, he saw Ruby stuck to the roof with small knives stabbed through her cloak and skirt, pinning her to the ceiling as she groaned.

'What…' he thought to himself as he glanced down to the cloud, which Naruto emerged from with a steady gait.

Smirking, Naruto looked up at Ren. "Well, who's got finesse now, huh?!" he called out, crossing his arms over his chest.

Ren chuckled. While the taunt had been intended to draw Naruto out and interact with them, he was pleased to see that he was deserving the title of leader. "Ah, you are a strong fighter. I am glad." he said, unsure of how to respond.

Evidently, his efforts bore fruit, because Naruto grinned up at him, eyes closing as his hands found their way behind his head.

Naruto giggled a bit, and Ren was required to point out the obvious. "How is Ruby going to descend?" he asked, eyes lingering on Ruby, who was struggling. Naruto cocked an eyebrow and looked up.

"She has enough Aura to survive the fall." he pointed out, watching a kunai slip from the wall.

"You are sure?" Ren asked, concern absent from his voice.

"Pfffff, she'll be fine!" Naruto blew him off, watching a few more kunai fall to the floor with a tinkle.

"Aaaand she's falling." Ren observed, his eyes tracing Ruby's path to the floor where she landed with a crash. Naruto walked down to her, and helped her to her feet.

"See Ruby, that's why you don't use smoke bombs on me! I'm better equipped than you to deal with it." he said genially, patting some scuff from her cloak.

"Yeah yeah, I get it Naruto." she pouted, making him laugh. He turned and looked at Ren quizzically.

"You'll need to work on your speed, Ren. You're a bit slow to keep up with Ruby and I right now." he observed. Ren nodded in agreement.

"Indeed. I shall train accordingly." he promised, "It would not do for me to be the slowest member of Team Deathstalker."

Ruby nodded happily. "Now we only need to find Blake and see how fast she is!"

Ren hummed in agreement, walking with them towards the door. Naruto sighed, his happy smile turning a little sad.

"Well, how about you check out how she does, Ruby. I'll be in the library for the rest of the evening." at Ruby's pout, he hurried to explain. "I'll be back before night, I just have some research to do. Leader stuff." he lied. Ren nodded, taking his explanation at face value.

"Do you have any tasks for us in the meantime?" he asked calmly, while Ruby's eyes narrowed at Naruto.

"How about you guys get Blake and evaluate her. Ruby, rate her speed on a scale of ten, and Ren, you can… do whatever you like. Eh, just take the evening off if you want. We have a big day tomorrow." he waved them off, his mind wandering to discovering a way home.

Ruby nodded, unsure. "If you say so, Boss." Naruto flinched, and nodded quickly.

"I do. Go do whatever you want." he rushed, darting away towards the library.

Ren gazed after him, bemused. "Hmmm." he enunciated. Ruby hung her head in dejection next to him.

"I thought he'd come with us…" she whispered. Ren looked at her brazenly.

"Well, he has a Team Leader thing to do. He is being a good leader by doing it now so he can devote all his time to the team later." Ren reasoned. Ruby looked a bit more upbeat at that.

"You're right, Ren. I mean, it looked like he was hiding something, but that might just be the stress of Beacon!" she gave a high pitched laugh, "I'm certainly feeling it!"

Ren cracked a rare smile. "Do you wish to find Blake? I can tell her Naruto left me in charge and we can go get some food."

Ruby nodded happily. "You know what, you're not so bad Ren! I think we're gonna be good friends."

Ren nodded. "I'm sure we will be." he said noncommittally.

**AN:**

**I know that this chapter is short, but there's a good reason. That's the same reason why the last chapter exists.**

**Apparently you guys didn't like it; I can only tell you that EVERY chapter has a very important reason for existing. But since I can totally get that you don't want to read a 5k word chapter for a small detail like what I need to include, I'm going to write really short chapters for the next few instead of big ones. Basically, I need to write something that most of you (fortunately) haven't seen, or haven't said you've seen.**

**That either means I'm doing great at hiding it, or I'm doing so poorly you all don't feel like pointing it out. But this is the first fiction I've ever written, so gimme a break if you DO see it.**

**Anyways, the point of this chapter was to say that the next couple (maybe 6 or so) will be less than 3k words. They'll only have one purpose, but it's one that is VERY MUCH required by my plan, so you'll just need to endure it, unfortunately.**

**If anyone is a beta who doesn't mind spoilers, I kinda want to bounce my idea off of them before fully committing to it. If they don't think it's a good idea, I'll talk with them about why, and hopefully improve my story. :)**

**Finally, about Ozpin talking like Naruto's going to be part of the Vytal Festival. I don't know, that was sort of the unspoken price of Ozpin's help. Win the tournament, we'll help you get home. And Ozpin doesn't know Naruto's collaborating with Kakashi; he doesn't even know he exists.**

**Finally, the whole "Ozpin would want the help of the Shinobi and try to get to the Elemental Nations!" **

**…**

…

…

**I mean, if you didn't get the reference then you're screwed. This is what I get for being subtle. But it has to do with the previous people who fell into Remnant from other worlds. After a specific one of them came through, I'm sure the cultured people here will know why Ozzie doesn't want Naruto to stay. And this ISN'T and insult to the people who don't know, just a word of warning that you shouldn't complain that you don't understand what's happening because of ignorance. I get that probably over 80% of the people on the planet won't understand WHY Ozpin is leery (ask Everpeach, they get it) but suffice to say I'm not insulting anyone (or trying to) but this is a relevant plot point I did NOT think I'd need to explain. Accept it if you won't research why it is, but don't tell me nothing makes sense when you don't have the grace to literally do ONE Google search. Codeword here since I've gotten 9 PMs about how much I suck and am uncultured, "Annatar".  
**

**Finally, the Pyrrha thing. I get it, people didn't like it, but Pyrrha doesn't want to be elevated more than she already is. I understand if you didn't like it, but Ozpin's method of naming leaders leaves much to be desired.**

**Namely, he uses the person whose name best makes a colour. :)**

**Thank you for telling me what you really think, I can only hope you realize I in fact DO have an idea. Of what I'm doing, no, but of what I want this to be, yes. Besides, telling me that a chapter was pointless doesn't really help me figure out what would make it better. If it's an Essential Plot Point (or EPP) that annoys you, then I'm sorry, but I can't change it.**

**Have a nice day, don't choke on an Arti.**

**-Pad**


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: And the Weeks Gone By**

The weeks passed quickly enough. Naruto had more meetings with Kakashi and Obito, all of which ended… less than stellarly. They'd hit a minor roadblock: no matter which Seals they tried to use on Naruto (they'd even attempted the Flying Raijin, which failed spectacularly). They managed to bring a clone of Naruto through to the Shinobi World, by infusing Naruto with Obito's Chakra which still belonged to the Shinobi World. However, the clone popped a few minutes after landing, and the memories did not return to Naruto.

At first Naruto was disheartened by the lack of memories from his home Plane, but Kakashi reassured him that this was a good thing. It meant that the clone belonged to the Shinobi World, which meant that they were on the right track.

Ozpin had been a great help. After Naruto confronted him about the Vytal Festival preparedness, and telling Jaune that they'd be a great help against the Grimm, Ozpin had explained that he had to keep up appearances. He had to be seen treating Naruto like any other student, otherwise people would investigate into what made Naruto special. And that would open a can of worms Ozpin felt would be best left closed. Naruto honestly did agree with that assessment. Better for him to just disappear than to have everyone know he was trying to leave.

He'd spent every spare moment in the library researching the previous people who'd come to Remnant. There wasn't much on either of them, but he'd found an old document from the Kingdom of Mistral about Annatar. Purportedly, he'd found his answer in a genie lamp, according to the legends. Naruto was unsure. The source depicted it more as a Fairy Tale than factual happenings, but Ozpin had been amused when he brought the idea to him. He'd been a bit cagey about his answer, and Kurama had confirmed that Ozpin had been annoyed that Naruto had found that, which was straining their relationship. Naruto and the Tailed Beasts both still knew that Ozpin wanted them gone, for reasons they had yet to discover, although they no longer thought it was doing it out of kindness. In fact, they could sometimes feel fear from the man.

Team PAYN had quickly risen to the top of the class in pretty much every class, although Naruto didn't care much about it. He now had a couple of days off for something called a "long weekend", and was planning on going to Mistral to check their records. He'd already asked Ozpin for help, and although Ozpin had delayed (which was starting to get annoying) he'd finally gotten permission to stay at Haven Academy for two days. Then he'd fly back on the third day. If he was late, so be it. The classes honestly weren't helping him, and he'd taken to simply reading library files during Port's class, and forfeiting his matches in Goodwitch's before entering the ring. He was supposedly the worst student in Beacon's history, with a grand total of seven wins and over ninety losses (and all seven wins were from the first two weeks of class, when he'd thought the best way to go would be to win his match quickly then research). The problem with that strategy, he'd found, was that people challenged him all the time. So he started losing on purpose, then just forfeiting the match. Of course, Ruby, Blake and Ren knew he was faking, and he suspected most of the other students knew as well, but that didn't change that no one wanted to fight him anymore.

That was, except for Ruby who still challenged him every class, and when he forfeited she'd look like someone had kicked Zwei. The first few times he'd caved and dueled her outside of class, but after a while he was proud to say he'd developed an immunity to the Puppy Dog Eyes Jutsu (as he called it).

Finally, the only class worthwhile to him was History. He'd learned about many different places and things from Doctor Oobleck, and found that class gave him lots of research material in the library. However, he never did the assignments, and Oobleck was confused. He thought he'd found a great student of history, but aside from being able to answer any question posed to him (thanks to Shadow Clones and the Transformation Jutsu, Naruto and scoured nearly the entire library) Naruto was the worst student in his class, only passing due to his knowledge that he refused to demonstrate at all (hence, nearly at the bottom of the class).

All in all, he was doing well at Beacon. Hopefully with his mission to Mistral, he'd find out what the previous intruder to Remnant had done to escape (that wasn't a convoluted mess of riddles and Fairy Tales which he hated reading because it was awful to find out fact from myth!).

* * *

Ruby and Blake watched as Naruto boarded the airship that would take him to Mistral. He hadn't told them he was leaving for the long weekend, and that saddened Ruby, but didn't surprise Blake.

"Come on Ruby, you need to get it through your head that he just doesn't want to be here. Why else would he behave like this?" Blake said blithely, gesturing at the airship. Ruby sighed sadly.

"You don't get it Blake, he wasn't like this at all before Beacon! Before we came here he was funny, smart-ish, and cool to be around! He even taught me more how to fight!"

"Yeah, you've said so before, but I can't reconcile the person you're describing with him." Blake said, pity echoing through her voice. "He's supposed to be our leader, but he acts like we don't exist, and spends all his time working in the library or just gone! Why can't we go talk to Professor Ozpin about this yet?" she asked, annoyed.

Ruby shook her head stubbornly. "We aren't going to the Headmaster until we all agree."

Blake sighed, exasperated. "Both Ren and I are getting sick of this, Ruby. Naruto was OK at the beginning of the year, but over the past few weeks he's been getting more and more worked up. We haven't done anything as a team other than that weird movie night you made us do when he came back from the library!" she exclaimed, a small scowl on her face. "Face it, Ruby Rose, our leader doesn't deserve to be our leader, hell I don't know if he deserves to be at Beacon!"

Ruby looked annoyed, but her look transitioned to a look of defeat. "O-OK, Blake. When he gets back we'll have a conversation with him about it, one he can't avoid. Then, if he keeps behaving like this…" she trailed off, looking sadly after the airship as it cleared the clouds. "Then we'll talk to Professor Ozpin." she ended whispering, and praying that Naruto would stop being weird when he got back. He didn't have much time left before the team broke away from him for good.

* * *

Naruto closed his eyes and sat with his legs crossed on the airship, contemplating a Seal. He'd been working with Obito on a Summoning Seal, and they were trying to find out if they could potentially create a Summoning Contract with him to bring him home. The only problem was that the current living summons had no idea how the Contracts were created, only the Great Toad Elder could know, and he was… difficult to get around.

Obito had said they could maybe try a variant of the Reanimation Jutsu to summon Naruto's soul, but Naruto didn't want to try that. However, he'd had the pleasure of speaking with Fukasaku, who'd said the Toads would scour the libraries of Mount Myoboku, and hopefully find out how their contract was created. Kakashi had joked about summoning the Gedo Statue and having it swallow Naruto, and then Summon it back to the Shinobi World. The Toads, for some ungodly reason, had taken his suggestion seriously, and had Gamatatsu swallow Naruto before being summoned back.

It was horrible. Naruto was absolutely disgusted by it, and it had taken some explaining to Ruby, Ren and Blake why he'd come back to the dorms covered in slime.

His eyes opened as his pencil scraped across the paper, creating a variation in the Summoning Contract he held. This was a copy he'd drawn up of their latest attempt in the Kamui Dimension. Something to keep him working on the trip to Mistral (it turned out that the journey was far faster by airship than by foot, it would take just over a day to get there).

Naruto opened his eyes groggily, blinking away the sleep. Checking his scroll, he saw that he'd been asleep for nearly five hours. That meant he had just under two before he'd arrive at the City of Mistral, where he could go to Haven for their library and archives.

Stretching his arms above his head with a yawn, he glanced at his scroll again.

'I really don't have anything to do…' he mused, contemplating. 'What do you think I should do, guys?'

"**Well, how about we practice your sand manipulation?" **Shukaku suggested, "**You haven't tried it since Patch!" **he whined.

"**No no, how about we try practicing Enlightened Sage Mode!" **Gyuki offered.

"**I agree with Gyuki!"** Matatabi purred. "**We should see if you've attained any enlightenment!"** The other Tailed Beasts cried out their own suggestions. Chomei and Kurama agreed with Gyuki, while the others wanted to practice their own Jutsu.

"**Enough!"** Son Goku roared, silencing the clamour. "**How could he have achieved enlightenment?! He's been holing himself in the library for his entire time here!"**

'Son, I need to! I need to find a way home, a way back to-' Son Goku cut him off with a growl.

"**Brat, you've been tearing yourself apart! You barely sleep, you hardly eat, and you're nearly failing all your classes, and you ARE failing Combat Class! How are you failing the ONE class you should be the best in the WORLD AT?!"** he finished with a howl, the other Beasts cowed into silence by his fit of rage.

'Son. I'm fine. I'm so close to getting home, and the classes don't really matter anyways.'

"**Kid, I've been avoiding saying this for the past few weeks because nobody else seemed to care, but I'm done skirting around the bush. You're your team's leader. You need to act like it!"** Son growled angrily. "**I'm the Monkey King of Suirendo, if there's one thing I know more than anyone else here it's responsibility. You need to stop pushing them away and start working with them! If you don't… then I'll leave."** he delivered his ultimatum, and the rest of the Tailed Beasts cried out in shock.

"**You can't mean that, Son! Where would you go, how would you get home?!"** shrieked Matatabi, her yowls of shock permeating the mindscape.

"**Monkey, how can you say you're gonna leave?!" **Kurama snarled menacingly. "**We agreed to stay with Naruto!"**

Son Goku remained silent, waiting for Naruto to respond. After a few minutes of tense waiting and the occasional growl from the other Tailed Beasts, Naruto eventually gave his answer.

'Son, I don't want you to leave. But I need to do this!' he said mentally.

"**Naruto, I'm sorry, but I don't really want to leave."** Son said sadly. The rest of the Tailed Beasts recoiled in shock.

"**What do you mean you damn monkey?!"** whined Shukaku, "**Why wouldn't you want to go back?"**

Son Goky took time to formulate his answer. "**I know that the rest of you are loners, and don't especially enjoy the company of humans or animals, but I'm the king of the Monkeys! I've lived with the Monkey Summons for over two thousand years!"**

'What does that have to do with staying here?! It would seem you'd have more reason than the rest of us to go home!' Naruto cried out.

"**I've been imprisoned by the Hidden Stone for the past century, kid. I would like to go back to Suirendo, but honestly, I think the odds are good that the Shinobi World will continue to treat us Tailed Beasts unkindly. Here, we can do some good. Imagine how the people of Remnant would treat us if we defended them from the Grimm! We could help humans expand their homes, and finally fulfill the task that Father set out for us."** Son explained, his impassioned and hopeful speech quelling the voices of his brethren.

Kurama scoffed, finding Son's thought ridiculous. **"Monkey, these people would treat us the exact same way! They're _human_**, **and that means that they're always searching for power."**

'I would protect you guys!' Naruto maintained stubbornly. 'We can go home!'

"**...very well, kid. I'll respect your decision for now, but you're treading on thin ice."** Son Goku warned, ignoring Kurama's ridicule.

Naruto nodded mentally, before the automated airship voice called out a warning.

"Warning: Grimm Detected. Warning: Grimm Detected." it droned, with the other passengers looking nervous.

"Mommy, t-the Grimm!" a little girl cried out to her mother, who held her comfortingly.

"Don't worry, don't worry! We have a Huntress on board, we'll be fine." the mother cooed, comforting her daughter while the rest of the passengers eased up, reassured that there was a Huntress.

Naruto glanced at the Huntress, who was walking to the back of the ship. She turned when she reached the back, and smiled at the passengers.

"Don't worry, everyone! I trained at Haven, I can handle this. We just need to activate the turret supports!" she reassured, flipping out her scroll and tapping a few times.

Naruto watched the windows get covered by metal plating, and heard the whirring of gears as the turrets popped out of the outside of the ship. He closed his eyes, and entered Sage Mode.

'Hmmm… there are over thirty people ahead on the sides of the mountains…' he noted, curious. 'Maybe they're support for airships? Or maybe bandits?' he thought cynically, frowning. 'Either way, they can't be allowed to delay us.'

With a quick Sealless Shadow Clone Jutsu, he had his clone poof into existence under the airship, and used Chakra to stick to the bottom. As they neared the people, his clone popped, showing him that the people ahead were Mistralien Guards on towers positioned on the sides of the mountains.

'Looks like they're ready for air assaults from the Grimm as well.' he noted, noticing the airship flying evenly in between the mountains, the Mistralien Guards firing their weapons at the Grimm. The Huntress smiled at the passengers, happy with the work she'd done.

"Alright everyone! We've made it to Mistral!" she called out joyfully, with all the passengers cheering.

* * *

As Naruto disembarked, he was stunned at the Kingdom of Mistral. It was beautiful, and the bright green swept across the landscape, which was mountainous and dotted with white buildings in a style reminiscent of his home, and the old traditional buildings there.

"Well, here we are. Next stop is Haven… which I bet is at the top of the mountain." he intoned happily, looking up the mountainous peaks to the towering building above Mistral.

"Well, no time like the present to go there. Just gotta deliver this letter to the Headmaster from Ozpin, then I'll be set."

With that, he started walking up the winding stone stairways leading to the peak. He closed his eyes, breathing in nature and entering Sage Mode again. He could feel the incredible natural energy permeating the city, and the smells!

Oh, the smells! He could smell freshly fallen rain, and wet grass! The waterfalls arching from above him and plunging dowards were so vibrantly blue, and he could hear the water thundering into the abyss.

'I could get used to this place…' he couldn't help thinking. 'Maybe I'll see about making a place like this back home… create my own Hidden Village…' he mused, imagining it. 'Nah, I still gotta be Hokage! I'll leave this to the imagination. Maybe have Captain Yamato make some waterfalls around the Leaf...'

As he cleared the tunnel leading to Haven's plaza, he could see students milling around in their uniforms. He honestly preferred Haven to Beacon, if only for the lack of advanced technology in sight. It would be easier to navigate (even though he'd researched quite thoroughly during his stay at Beacon). Walking to the front door, Naruto was impressed by the decor, and how the white and gold merged together.

'Maybe I could ask for gold highlights on my Hokage cloak…' Naruto thought, sliding through the door past the students.

In his opinion, while he detested the Beacon Academy uniform, he found the Haven uniform to be a little… bland. It was a simple black coat over a white shirt and black pants, with a white band encircling the left bicep. It had gray trim, but he found it too grim and dour.

As he entered the foyer, he could see a teacher leaning against the stairs leading to the balcony atop a statue. As his eyes glanced over the statue, they narrowed.

'That statue looks like a genie from the legends… coincidence?'

"**Most likely not, Naruto. Perhaps we should ask the Headmaster what significance the statue holds."** Kokuo suggested, "**But don't reveal all our secrets. That was a mistake with Ozpin. He's been hiding more and more recently."**

Naruto agreed, and made his way past the students to the teacher, who looked up at him as he approached, glancing over his outfit with a frown.

"Young man, you should know to wear your uniform when you're in the Academy. It would not do for you to forget this again, Mr. Wukong."

Naruto blinked. "Sorry, who?" he asked as he got closer. The teacher squinted at him, before putting on a pair of glasses.

"Oh, my apologies! You must be the student from Beacon!" the teacher apologized, slipping their scroll back into his pocket. "I mistook you for one of our other students who forgets the mandatory dress code we have in place. My apologies."

Naruto waved them off. "Oh, it's no problem! My name's Naruto Uzumaki, and you're right, I'm here from Beacon."

The teacher nodded slowly. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Uzumaki. My name is Philip Pendragon, but you may call me Professor Pendragon." Professor Pendragon glanced him over once more. "Did you not bring your weapon with you, Mr. Uzumaki?"

"Ah, I left it at Beacon. I wasn't expecting any fights, and thought it would make a reasonable excuse if anyone wanted to fight me." Naruto explained, hiding the fact that his Gunbai was sealed on his arm. Truthfully, he'd used it sparingly, and only to win his fights in Goodwitch's class by blowing his opponents out of the ring. He had yet to practice with it, due to his research.

"Ah, a reasonable action, although I must warn against wandering the lower levels of Mistral without one." Professor Pendragon warned.

"I'll take your advice." Naruto promised, knowing that he had no intention of wandering around Mistral.

Professor Pendragon nodded once, shortly. "Very well, I'll take you to Lionheart." he said, leading Naruto up the stairs. "He's been expecting you, and would like to know why you're here so close to the Vytal Festival." he probed, curious.

Naruto smiled at him disarmingly. "I'm doing some historical research for my history class, and-" Professor Pendragon cut him off.

"And you have Oobleck teaching that subject." he said with finality, a hint of a smile on his face. Naruto cocked an eyebrow.

"You've heard of him?" Naruto asked.

Professor Pendragon laughed quietly. "He's somewhat renowned in the Academies for his… teaching style." he said, amused.

Naruto snorted. "He's really knowledgeable, and doesn't waste time. He's actually really good at what he does." he defended.

Professor Pendragon nodded. "Oh, he is. It's just that the number of students who FAIL his class are more in number than those who pass."

Naruto shrugged. "I guess that tells you more about the students than the teacher." he said brazenly.

Professor Pendragon looked at him curiously. "But if you're here I would assume that you're doing well in his class?"

Naruto shrugged. "Yeah, I'm doing all right."

Professor Pendragon nodded. "Well, if you need any help with your project, you can stop by my room anytime, except during the night!" he joked. Naruto nodded seriously.

"I might take you up on that." Naruto accepted. Professor Pendragon nodded at him, before turning to a door.

"Well, this is Professor Lionheart's office." he knocked on the door, and Naruto heard a muffled voice call out to them.

"O-oh! Be right there!"

After a series of bumps and thumps from the other side of the door, it's opened by a man with a gray beard and hair, who looks at Naruto and Professor Pendragon cautiously.

"Yes? What do you need Professor Pendragon? Has another student been caught without their uniform?!" he said warmly. Professor Pendragon shook his head with a laugh.

"Leo, this is Naruto Uzumaki, he's the student from Beacon." he explained, and Professor Lionheart's eyes lit up in recognition.

"Oh yes! Ozpin said you'd be coming by! Please, come in come in!" he ushered Naruto in, before turning to Professor Pendragon. "Would you like to join us Philip?" he offered.

Professor Pendragon shook his head. "While I would enjoy speaking with Mr. Uzumaki, I'm afraid that I have papers to grade." he shuddered in fear. "You know how it is, Leo. I fear that I may once again be subjected to the horrors of… ignorance." Professor Lionheart laughed, shaking his head in exasperation.

"Come now, Philip! It's not that bad!"

"Maybe not for you who's had the plush position of Headmaster for the past twenty years! When was the last time you graded papers?" Professor Pendragon mocked genially. Professor Lionheart sighed.

"Too long my friend, too long." he sighed regretfully. "I wish I'd never accepted this position." he admitted, shaking his head. "It puts me in a poor place." he ruffled his head, shaking out the cobwebs. "But I've been remiss! Have a good day, Philip, and please send me some of those papers if you feel overworked! I could use some relaxation!" he said gregariously. Professor Pendragon nodded. "Of course, Leo. Please use some tact now, I suspect young Mr. Uzumaki is here for reconnaissance for the Vytal Festival along with his history project." he confided. Professor Lionheart nodded, serious.

"Don't worry. I won't tell him anything about the team composition." he promised, bidding Professor Pendragon farewell as he left.

Naruto looked around the office as Professor Pendragon and the Headmaster continued to talk at the door. Once more, he found Ozpin's office more impressive, but Lionheart's to be more comfortable. He preferred it, to be honest. He could see books lining some shelves that looped around the half-circular room, over the windows that were lit with a dull orange and gold glow. There were also two large bookshelves flanking the front door, which was at the edge of a smaller semi-circle adjoined to the larger office area.

He heard the door click shut behind him, and could sense Professor Lionheart moving around him.

"Yes, you're Mr. Uzumaki!" he greeted jovially, "Ozpin said you'd be here this weekend! I must say, I'm pleasantly surprised that you came directly to our Academy instead of wandering Mistral!"

Naruto nodded. That WAS something Team PAYN would do. "Well, I really want to start my research as fast as possible." he said by way of explanation. Professor Lionheart nodded, sitting down behind his desk in a comfortable looking padded chair, with a green greatcoat slung over the backrest.

"I see. I must say it is rewarding to see such dedication in one so young." Professor Lionheart said, leaning back in his chair.

Naruto bowed. "Thank you, sir." he said, disguising his impatience with formality.

Professor Lionheart hummed and took out his scroll, the black exterior a stark contrast from the other scrolls Naruto had seen thus far. "Well, from the message Ozpin sent me…" he frowned at the scroll, "You are here to research a… minor Fairy Tale. Would you mind telling me which one it is? Ozpin has been… less than liberal with the details."

Naruto shrugged. "I'm looking into the historical and cultural impact of genies." he said, hiding the precise details of his goal behind a fairly normal request (at least he thought).

Professor Lionheart's eyes narrowed at him. "You're looking for genies, young man?" he said, his voice not losing it's jovial timber.

"**Naruto, his suspicion just spiked… he knows something about genies, something he wants to hide."** Kurama provided from his mindscape. Naruto nodded. Even without Kurama contributing, he'd been able to see Professor Lionheart tense up at the mention of a genie.

"Yeah, I was doing some research for Doctor Oobleck and came across a reference to a genie. When I asked him, Oobleck said to go to Mistral if I didn't find anything in Beacon's library." he fibbed. Technically, Oobleck hadn't told him to go to Mistral, that's just where the tale had taken place.

"Hmmm. I'm not sure where to begin, young man." Professor Lionheart said, easing in his seat. "But I digress! Would you like to stay on campus for your stay here at Haven, or in the city?"

Naruto didn't need to think. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to stay at Haven. Could I also get directions to the library?" he inquired. Professor Lionheart nodded.

"Of course! I'll also tune your scroll into the school's system so you can enter the library and your room." with a few short taps on his own scroll, Naruto was given access to the given areas. "If you ever need any help, don't hesitate to ask." Professor Lionheart offered warmly, most of his tension gone.

Naruto's eyes glinted as he looked at Professor Lionheart. "Actually, I was hoping you could explain the statue in the front hall to me."

Professor Lionheart paled, looking at Naruto with concern. "You mean Ozpin didn't?... that is to say, it's just a statue. I believe the creator of Haven wanted it there, although why I could not say." he filibustered, providing no new information.

Naruto nodded slowly. "And the founder was the King of Vale, who's been dead for over forty years…" Professor Lionheart agreed hurriedly.

"Yes yes, he's been dead for quite some time now. So I'm afraid I can't help you with this… however, Professor Ozpin might know, since at one time he… met the King of Vale." he provided. Naruto nodded thoughtfully.

"He never mentioned that… thank you for your help, sir."

Professor Lionheart nodded solemnly. "If you ever need any help, or feel like Ozpin is…" he trailed off, unsure, before continuing. "Well, know that you always have other options young man. I'll be here in case you ever need someone to speak with."

Naruto nodded, appreciating the gesture. "Thanks, sir."

"Alright, you may go. Your room is room eight, on the east wing." Professor Lionheart dismissed him, swiveling his chair to look out the windows. Naruto turned and walked out the door, shutting it with a light click behind him.

"**Did you feel it, Naruto?"** Kurama asked, his voice low.

'Yeah, I did.' Naruto replied, frowning.

"**Regret, guilt, shame and fear. He stank of it… and not from talking about the genie."** Kurama growled. "**I also sensed great negativity coming from somewhere adjacent to his room… it felt like a Grimm, but different."**

Naruto nodded absently. 'I felt it too. There was a… thing, something dark in the wall. Something evil was there, something with a presence similar to Black Zetsu… we should be wary.'

"**Agreed."**

* * *

Naruto spent over eight hours of the remaining day in the library, and during that time he'd discovered two things: Haven's library was even more poorly organized than Beacon's, and the students were far more entitled and arrogant. He'd had to displace himself more than three times to avoid confrontations, and was beginning to get sick of it.

...he'd also learnt a little bit about genies. Mostly it was information he'd found in Vale, but reading some older books and stories that were not uploaded to the CCTNET had revealed SOME information that he'd not been privy to. For instance, he'd uncovered the name of the genie Annatar supposedly communed with: Jinn. He'd learnt nothing else, so he'd decided to ask Professor Lionheart if he knew the name Jinn. Chances were he didn't, but if he did it would be worth checking out. And besides, even if Professor Lionheart lied about knowing about it, it could still reveal a path he had yet to see.

Naruto meandered the halls, grumbling obscenities under his breath. The Headmaster had been occupied with important matters: apparently one of the students had gone off to Vale without his team and Lionheart needed to track him down.

'Seriously, what is it with these people and just doing what they want?!' Naruto thought crossly.

"**Look who's talking, brat."** Kurama hummed from his mind above the drone of conversation that constantly pervaded his head.

'Whadd'ya mean?' Naruto shot back.

"**You were always whining and bitching to the Hokage, whoever it was, about your mission and wanting a better one! You were the embodiment of entitled!"** Kurama pointed out.

'T-that's not true!' Naruto fumed, 'I never acted out like that!'

"**Yes you did…" **Kurama said condescendingly, "**And you were a helluva lot worse than most of the brats I've seen here."** he finished nailing the coffin, and Naruto hung his head in shame.

'Fine… I might as well ask Professor Pendragon if he knows anything… he said to come by.' he rationalized, trying to divert the conversation away from his previous ineptitude. 'A good thing I spent so long in Timeless Space… imagining what I would've done if I'd immediately popped into a new world after falling… damn, it's a good thing I didn't.'

"**Yeah. You've matured quite a bit since our battles with the Uchiha." **Gyuki praised. "**Now, let's go see that Professor Pendragon. He must know something about the statue and perhaps this 'Jinn' we're investigating."**

Naruto nodded, and with a quick application of Sage Mode, sensed where Professor Pendragon was located. Stalking from the library, he made his way to where he detected the Professor.

* * *

Professor Lionheart cupped his forehead in his palm as he sat at his desk. With a groan, he contemplated again coming forward to Ozpin, and throwing himself at his feet. But he feared that it was too late.

Salem had ordered him to tell her about any potential threats to the Relic. Now that Ozpin had sent young Naruto to Haven, with a project obviously about the Relics, it was a clear sign Ozpin was bringing another child into his war. Unfortunately for the poor boy, he'd been ordered by Salem to provide her with the profiles of anyone of note; and by bringing Uzumaki into the war, Ozpin had done just that to him.

He slipped into a secret room in his office, the clanking of machinery showing the age behind the room. He wavered down the candlelit hall, the ancient stonework lit with their soft glow. One could almost forget the monster lurking at the end, he thought cynically to himself as he neared the room. Emerging from the tunnel, he looked at the once private sanctum turned to sinful meeting room, and the Seer levitating in the center of the room, sickening pops and the smell of death emanating from it's horrific bulb.

"M-my Lady?" he said, his voice wavering with uncertainty and fear. He waited for a few seconds before a voice responded. The voice had a particular texture to it, slimy and oily. It reminded him quite frankly of honey, but filled with decay and rot instead of sweetness.

"Yes, Leonardo." the voice acknowledged him, scorn and annoyance evidently hidden behind a thin veneer of concern.

"I have something to r-report." the cowardly lion whimpered. The voice answered him, disdain seeping through it like a mudslide.

"What do you have to report, Leonardo."

"O-Ozpin sent a student to Haven from Beacon. The student is researching…" he trailed off, before continuing quickly as one of the barbed tentacles raised itself to threaten him, "He's researching the Relic!" he blurted, cowering. After a few moments of silence, he looked at the Seer, which was completely still.

"M-m-my Lady? Are you still there?" he stammered.

"So, dear Ozpin seeks to bring a new piece onto the board." she mused aloud breaking the silence, dark amusement tainting her voice. "Tell me Leo, what do you think of this student?"

He gulped audibly, before telling her all he knew.

All he knew.

**AN: **

**Well, that was that. I'm not very happy with the chapter tbh, but it's a nice change. Naruto's sniffing about the Relics! Is Ozpin trying to bring him into the fold, or scare him away? Is Kurama being far too arrogant in his power? These are questions that I'll answer before this arc is done!**

**Wanna say thanks to people for their constructive criticism, I'm trying my best here (that's a lie, I'm really busy right now and am just doing this for an hour or so in my free time).**

**Onto other matters! I had some questions sent to me about Jaune during his training… Yeah, I won't be covering what happened during that period, I just don't feel like it, but if someone WANTS to write about Ozpin training Jaune, with Athos helping out feel free to! I know one person did…**

**Another thing! I know that as a writer I can't be seen 'running out of ideas', but please feel free to bounce ideas at me for how Naruto can get home. I'm running on my creative fumes over here! (I was thinking about something involving Raven's Semblance, but I'm not sure about it).**

**Some complaints about Jaune being named Team Leader instead of Pyrrha… Yeah, I can see where you wouldn't like that. It kinda diminishes her arc by having that happen. But I felt it was in keeping with her character to want to be equal with her team, not above them. If anyone feels like it was blundered through, I'm sorry and you're right. Maybe I'll rewrite this whole thing someday in a couple years and it'll be way better.**

**darkangelflame asked a very good question! My answer?**

**To tell you the truth I didn't forget about it. I just haven't gotten around to explaining the solution yet (but they'll have one).**

**How many people honestly know who Annatar is? Believe me when I say that you'll need to know to understand Ozpin's reservations about Naruto. IF you don't want to research, I can tell you in a PM, or if enough people ask, I can put it in an AN at the beginning of my next chapter.**

**Final point before I leave; I'm not going to be putting characters from RVB in this. I feel like they're a bit played out, and want to try something unique. So far I hope that the few characters I've shoved in have been well integrated, but you never know.**

**This is Pad signing off to go listen to Rick Astley's Album "50" again!**


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: Last Day at Haven**

Naruto milled about absently. He'd talked with Professor Pendragon for nearly four hours the previous day, and had learned precisely nothing. All the Professor knew about the statue was what Lionheart had told him.

Namely, that the statue was built at the direction of the last King of Vale, and no one really knew why or questioned it. Hence the apparent lack of regard from the students, he noted as he watched them. Despite not wishing to do so, the Professors of Haven had expressed a slight protectiveness over their students going to the Vytal Festival. In fact, they'd been trying to get him to watch specific matches so that he'd know exactly what to expect from their students.

It was such an obvious deception that he wasn't sure whether to be insulted or apathetic. But he did, unfortunately, know that he was going to be heading back to Vale with all of these transfer students, so it would pay for him to learn at least a bit about them, if only to find out if any of them had Semblances that could potentially help him in his quest to get home.

Oh, and to report back their abilities to Team PAYN as a thank you gift for helping him get this time off. While they hadn't intended to, their little invitation for Ruby, Ren, Blake and himself had given him the perfect window of opportunity to ask Ozpin if he'd let him go to Haven for the break (for some ungodly reason, Haven didn't have a break at the same time as Vale; it was ridiculous).

As he glanced over the statue, he decided to check it with Obito's Sharingan. With a glance over it he couldn't see any Chakra or energy, which was a bit of a bummer. But he DID see a series of scuff marks on the statue's base.

'Judging by their placement… I'd say someone walked over this, and recently.' he mentally commented.

"**Indeed. And it appears their objective was that gold chain belt looping around her waist."** Kokuo commented, drawing Naruto's focus to her waist. He could see a gold circle on it, but other than that it was rather plain. He shrugged to himself.

'Could have just been a pervy student.' he thought to Kokuo, who he'd learned was the wisest of the Tailed Beasts. Kokuo hummed in thought, before commenting.

"**Or it's the entrance to a secret room. It could be a button."** Kokuo thought aloud. Naruto nodded thoughtfully. He hadn't thought of that.

Glancing around, he saw most the students had gone to their classes, and the main foyer was otherwise unoccupied.

'How long was I standing here?...' he thought haphazardly, before shrugging the thought away and stepping up to the statue. Touching his hand against the circle, nothing happened. He frowned, pushing harder against it and grunted with the exertion.

However, he was disappointed to see nothing happened. He then heard a voice behind him.

"W-what are you _doing_?!" the voice growled. He turned abruptly, and saw a student in Haven's uniform staring at him, aghast (they had pink hair, Naruto noted with amusement).

"Well I'm currently trying to find out if this chain is made of real gold." Naruto blurted the first excuse that came to his mind. The student blinked a few times, confused.

"Really?" he asked, his voice sounding amused. Naruto nodded vigorously as he continued. "Because from here it looks like you're trying to measure her waist." Naruto blanched, looking at the statue in shock.

"Wait! This thing has a waist?!" he cried out in mock shock. The student snorted at that, relaxing.

"Kid, you're not as good an actor as you think you are." the student said.

Naruto frowned. "Well thank you for that."

"Ah, it's no problem. Seriously though, who are you? I haven't seen you before." the student said, hands clasped behind his back in an almost military fashion.

Naruto waved him off. "I'm from Beacon. I'm doing a project here during my break and heading back with your Vytal competitors tomorrow." he explained shortly. The student nodded slowly.

"I think I've seen you around… you're supposed to be coming by our combat class later, right?" he asked. Naruto frowned. Another step of the teachers to give him false intelligence had been inviting him to their combat classes. Honestly he was sick of it; he'd already gone to one because it was expected of him, but he did NOT want to go to another.

"I won't be, I need to finish my project." Naruto said shortly.

The student grinned at him. "Well, if it involves clinging to the waists of attractive statues, I'd like to try out this project you're working on!" he laughed, before sticking his hand out. "Name's Nadir. Pleasure to meet you…" he trailed off. Naruto sighed, grasping his hand firmly.

"Naruto. It's nice to meet you. Say, what do you know about genies?" he asked offhandedly. Might as well ask, even if the student wouldn't know anything.

"Genies? What, like the legends?" Nadir asked, bemused. Naruto nodded seriously, and Nadir paused to consider.

"Well, from what I recall they grant wishes, don't they? And they come from lamps." Naruto nodded. He'd already learned all that. Nadir continued however with some new information.

"I've heard that there are different kinds of genies though, one called an Efreet and another called a Khayal, along with a few others.; but the Kayhal are a noble family in Mistral. The Efreet had a cult following some years ago, although they were apprehended and defeated." he rattled off, Naruto looking at him in shock.

"How do you know all that?!"

Nadir shrugged. "Well, you'll learn quickly enough anyways… I'm the weakest member of my team for combat, but I've studied the noble houses of Mistral extensively, and I've studied the history of Remnant. It's my favourite class." he confided. Naruto nodded slowly. He hadn't paused to consider the noble houses in his research, nor had he done any research into religious practices.

"How long ago was this cult in place?" Naruto asked, curious. Nadir stroked his chin contemplatively.

"Well, I believe it was taken out by our very own Headmaster just over ten years ago."

Naruto frowned darkly. "Are you sure about that?"

"Of course I am." Nadir said, affronted. Naruto quickly placated him, considering the new information.

'Lionheart said he didn't know about the statue in the front hall… it's possible that he didn't consider the Efreet Cult to be related…'

"**Really? Naruto, I think he'd remember a cult worshipping genies. Ask this boy what the difference between an Efreet and a Kayhal is."** Kurama demanded.

After being posed the question, Nadir considered briefly. "Well, from what I remember they both are genies, but I think the Kayhal family helped establish Haven… it's been a while since I studied this." he said by way of apology, before continuing. "In honour of their help, they designed the Haven uniform. But this isn't entirely related; what I mean to say is that the Kayhal genie is supposedly a genie of shadows." he explained, holding out one hand which became wreathed in shadows. "And the Efreet are genies of fire." he raised the other hand, which glowed yellow with illusory flames. Naruto cocked an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Is that your Semblance?" he asked curiously. Nadir nodded.

"Yes and no. I have the ability to change the colour of my Aura." he said proudly (with a tiny dose of sarcasm). Naruto nodded, trying to find the uses of such an ability.

'I honestly don't see how that could be helpful…' he thought sadly. Nadir shrugged.

"Some people get the power to shoot powerful lightning bolts, others can teleport, and I can make myself glow in the dark different colours." he said sarcastically.

Naruto snorted. "Well, you can only get better. Want some advice? Keep going." before Nadir can interrupt, Naruto rolls over him. "I know that if you just give up because your Semblance isn't a combat one, you'll definitely never be a great fighter. But if you keep trying and never give in, you could someday be amazing." he said, recalling how he'd been the underdog for most of his childhood.

Nadir nodded slowly. "I guess you're right… but I'm so far behind my team already." he said, a hint of depression shining through his facade.

Naruto stretched, his back making sick popping sounds. "Nadir, I'm gonna tell you about a friend of mine. His name's Bushy- I mean Lee, and he was a complete loser when he was young." Naruto started. He told Nadir Lee's story, and how Lee exemplified the peak of physical prowess (of course, he said Lee was unable to use his Aura instead of Chakra, and portrayed the Eight Gates as his Semblance).

Nadir was gaping like a fish at the end of the story. "You mean that he really became one of the strongest Huntsmen in your home village, and he didn't have the defensive powers of Aura?!"

Naruto nodded proudly, and Nadir slumped back onto a bench they'd migrated to. "H-holy shit! And… you think I could be like that someday?" he asked, hope beginning to enter his voice. Naruto put his hand on Nadir's shoulder, and looked at him deeply.

"I know you can. A person is measured by what challenges they overcome in life, and becoming a strong Huntsman despite not having a powerful Semblance? That would be a great challenge to overcome." he said. Nadir was stunned by the conviction in Naruto's voice, and nodded.

"Yeah, you're right!" he said, not quite jumping to his feet, "Even if I don't have an overpowered Semblance, I can make a weapon that can make up for it!" he started pacing, thinking aloud. "I'll need something like… something like Professor Lionheart's weapon… something that can channel large amounts of Dust…"

Naruto grinned. It hadn't taken long to bolster Nadir's fighting spirit. Hopefully he'd be a great fighter for mankind after he left.

"Well, now that you're perked up, maybe you should go and act on these goals!" Naruto suggested. Nadir nodded once.

"Thanks for the help, and the story! If you ever need something, just ask!" he waved at Naruto as he left the foyer, heading towards the left wing. Naruto leaned back on the bench, thinking to himself.

'Maybe I should ask Lionheart about the Efreet?' he pondered, considering the merits of that course of action.

"**Hmmmm. Ask him about the cult that he investigated, but don't mention the Efreet. That way he'll think it's simply a childish curiosity, and may be more inclined to help."** Gyuki suggested, although uncomfortable with the skulking.

'Good idea. He should be free right now, he doesn't teach any classes.' Naruto rationalized, heading up the stairs above the genie statue.

* * *

Naruto knocked on Professor Lionheart's door, and heard the Professor acknowledge him.

"Yes, do come in." he heard the distracted voice beckon him. Opening the door, he saw the Professor cradling his head in his hands at his desk.

"Yes?" he asked, his position showing his vulnerability. Naruto was taken aback, but tried to hide it.

"I had some questions I thought you might be able to answer." Naruto began, and Lionheart's head shot up and looked at him. Once more Naruto was taken aback by the bags beneath his eyes.

"Oh, it's you! How did your research go, young man?" Lionheart asked, some semblance of strength filling his posture.

"It went… poorly. I didn't find much more than I did at Beacon." Naruto said, feigning sadness. Lionheart nodded sympathetically, and frowned.

"Yes, I'm afraid that with the creation of the Global Communications Array, most information is accessible from any terminal in any kingdom." he said quietly, watching Naruto closely.

Naruto nodded in agreement before continuing. "But I did learn something… I heard that about ten years ago you shut down a cult… I think it was called the cult of the… the cult of the Effie?"

Lionheart scowled. "The Cult of Efreet, I believe." he said shortly, twirling his ring around his finger. "I discovered them worshiping what I believe to have been a type of Grimm, and took steps to ensure their removal."

Naruto nodded. "Could you tell me where this was?"

"Why do you wish to know?" Lionheart asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Just curious." Naruto shrugged, "Ozpin never mentioned that you could still take missions as a Headmaster."

Lionheart leaned forward. "Very well, I can tell you this much." he glanced around, before lowering his voice. "The Cult was based in a tower further south; I went there nearly ten years ago to stop them from worshipping the Grimm creature that they obeyed. However, when I arrived I found that they were not worshipping a Grimm as I had thought. Instead they were worshipping a large statue of a man, who held a great mace. After investigating, I discovered that this was supposedly an Efreeti, a Fire Spirit." he whispered, glancing at the wall to his right. "It was there that I found something that would change my life forever…" he trailed off, his eyes losing their vibrant colour.

"And?" Naruto prompted, invested in the story. Lionheart shook his mane, before sighing.

"Well, suffice to say Ozpin knows about what was there." he said shortly. Naruto frowned, clearly unhappy with the abrupt break in conversation.

"What do you mean? What did you find there?" he asked, annoyed.

Lionheart looked at his clenched fist. "I'm afraid that unless Ozpin allows it, I am unable to tell you." he said regretfully. Naruto scowled, leaning back away from the desk.

"So my whole trip was pointless?" he seethed. 'Ozpin knew about this all, and didn't tell me?!' he snarled mentally.

"Well I wouldn't say that." Lionheart said oddly, "I can tell you this much." he appeared to wrestle with himself before continuing, "The Cult of Efreet served another." he delivered breathlessly, his knuckles white as he clenched his fist. Naruto nodded slowly.

'So this cult obeyed someone… someone who wasn't a genie?' he thought to himself, curious and cautious.

"Thank you for your help, Professor." he said respectfully. "If you ever need me to do something, just let me know." he politely offered, aware that a teacher never takes a student up on those kinds of offers-

And Lionheart was asking for something.

Great.

"Actually, I was hoping you could do something for me." Lionheart grumbled, finally relaxing. Naruto now realized just how tense he'd been getting throughout the conversation. "I have a team going for the Vytal Festival that needs some help in Vale… if you could look out for them I would take it as a personal favour." he said, biting the words out.

Naruto sighed. "I'm not sure I'll be in Vale during the festival, Professor, but if I am I can look out for this team. Who are they?" he asked, feeling a bit guilty about lying.

"They're Team…" he paused to recall, "Ah, Team CEMM."

Naruto snorted. "Team Cream? Who came up with that?"

"Oh, one of the other teachers." he dismissed. Naruto shrugged.

"Fine by me. Could I meet them before heading back to Vale?" he asked.

Lionheart shook his head. "They're on a mission right now. But I'm sure you can watch over them, they'll seek out you." he provided, rubbing his forefinger distractedly. Naruto nodded, bemused.

"Uhh, sure." he guessed, not really sure what he was supposed to do. Lionheart nodded sadly after Naruto agreed.

"Young man, I wish you good fortune in the wars to come." he said somberly, confusing Naruto further.

"Wars? What wars? Remnant's at peace, why would that change?" Naruto asked, confused.

"Just ask Ozpin, and…" Lionheart hesitated, before speaking with conviction, "Trust him. He might be hiding secrets, but he's a good man." he said, sure of himself. Naruto shrugged. While he was annoyed (scratch that, furious) with Ozpin for hiding a potential way for him to get home, he knew Ozpin cared for the students under him, and understood that as a leader, he was bound to do things that were for the good of all, not just a few. If there were things Ozpin wasn't supposed to show him, then he wasn't supposed to show him.

"I will. Thank you, Professor." he said, bowing. Lionheart smiled at him, rising from his seat.

"The airships will be leaving in an hour, I recommend you get on them." he advised sincerely, reaching out his hand to shake Naruto's. Naruto nodded, and clasped his hand firmly.

Naruto's mind was suddenly crowded with profound negativity, and darkness. As Lionheart released his hand after a strong shake, the darkness vanished, almost as though it hadn't been there to begin with.

'Did you feel that?!' he called mentally, shock filling his mental voice. Kurama answered him with a growl.

"**Yeah, I did. That… felt like a Genjutsu was nearly cast on us… but different somehow."** Kurama hummed, curious.

'But who?! Was it Lionheart?!' Naruto growled at Kurama, who responded in the negative.

"**No, it wasn't him… nor was it that presence in the walls… it was something else, something older… something older than me."** he snarled, sensing the old power now that he was looking for it. "**Enter Sage Mode, brat. Maybe then you'll sense it better… whatever it is, it's still here."**

Naruto complied, his eyes turning gold and his mind probed the room. 'I can sense something… it's not Chakra, or Aura… it's something else. But now that I'm looking… I can sense it… it's older than even the Ten Tails was! Just what is this?!' he stuttered, shocked by the ancient power. 'It's not that powerful… it's more insidious… it feels almost like Black Zetsu as well…'

"**Naruto, this whole place reeks of evil. Now we have a SECOND entity like Zetsu here?! Whatever's happening here, it's bad. We should leave, now."** Shukaku said, his seriousness and lack of insanity conveying just how bad this was. They needed to leave, and regroup and find out what was going on.

'Agreed.' Naruto thought, bowing once more to Lionheart and making his way to the door, closing it quickly behind him.

* * *

Naruto cleared the air pads, and made his way to the airships that would take him back to Beacon, along with the other students of Haven. He could see Nadir talking animatedly with one of his presumed teammates.

The whole trip hadn't been a waste; he could send Shadow Clones out to check everything out over at the Efreet Tower, and see if there was anything there. Chances were there wasn't, but he guessed that it would be best to inform Ozpin of the Zetsu-like presence in Haven. While he didn't trust the man anymore, he still was the defender of Beacon, and that meant he should know about something evil lurking in Haven. Maybe there was more going on than a simple battle against Grimm, Naruto mused as he boarded the airship, taking off for Vale.

**AN:**

**Well, this was a shorter chapter than usual, but I do think that it actually went rather nicely. I know that there are going to be complaints about how I did Lionheart. But honestly, I liked him. He seemed like a good person in the show, and I like him. So I've decided to attempt to justify his actions a little more.**

**Another thing; I'm having a great time writing this, and you're all the best. Even the people who say they don't like my story are awesome.**

**With that being said (uh oh, here comes the bad part) I've been prompted by other writers and readers to make a page.**

**So I've done that; if anyone takes a look at it, I'd be stunned and amazed. You'd be like my greatest friend. I think at this point we all know how links work, replace the SLASH with a / and remove the spaces; also cut out the As from the site name. Man, FF is a pain with links. This is the fourth time I've tried to fix it.  
**

**www . pAaAtArAeAoAnA . comSLASHsages journey  
**

**This is Pad, going away to listen to Rick Astley's "50" album again (seriously, check it out. It's damn fine). And go to cry now that I've finally fixed it!**


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: Return to Vale**

Naruto glanced out the windows of the transport vessel, his mind consumed with thoughts of the impending landing. He'd need to revisit Kakashi and Obito soon, and see if they'd uncovered any important means of his escape from Remnant.

'And maybe look into this "Cult of the Efreet"... I can't help but feel it's connected to the last person to leave Remnant.' Naruto thought, narrowing his eyes as he felt the aircraft wobble in the air. 'That's odd… normally the landing procedure is smoother… I knew it was a mistake to take a Bullhead to Beacon from Vale… I should have just run.'

* * *

He watched as Beacon approached, towers gleaming in the light as their sharp edges and contours rose into the sky. He could see the namesake of the school, dim in the morning light but still shining, and imagined that Ozpin would be there.

'Just need to inform him about the presence I felt in Haven, then I can leave.' he thought to himself, going through his mental notes about what he'd learned. He shook himself out of it, knowing that extra thinking wouldn't help, nor was it, as much as he'd tried, his style. He peered at the other students in the Bullhead, noting that they seemed haggard, to say the least. It appeared that while he'd spent the long weekend working hard, they'd spent it partying he assumed (as most students he'd met so far reminded him far too much of Yang). Worrisome, to say the least. Shinobi were responsible enough (bar Lee) to drink in moderation and not cause harm to the civilians. Needless to say, it wasn't perfect, and some Shinobi still went… well, the best word would be rampant, but the ANBU were on hand for dealing with that… and typically, a drunk Shinobi would be easily incapacitated by the ANBU. The Uchiha Police Force had once dealt with such matters prior to their fall.

Naruto took the time to look over each student however, and what he saw confused him greatly. They appeared worn out yes, but their apparel caught his eye. Not their uniforms, nor their combat or casual apparel, they were instead garbed in workmens' trappings, baggy and covered with what looked to be dust. And not the fancy, explosion-y kind. Honestly, as he looked them over, he was shocked that he'd thought they'd been out partying, even from just a cursory glance it was obvious they'd be doing hard labour for at least a day…

'Huh. Wonder what required students to go out and fix… maybe they had detention… or, more likely, they broke something partying on Saturday and now need to fix it on Sunday.' he thought snidely. 'At least Ruby and the rest of them wouldn't do something like that.' he thought, satisfied with not needing to do any more 'leader' activities.

As he landed, he saw the students meander out of the Bullhead ahead of him, staggering towards their dorms, and wilting before Professor Goodwitch, who was waiting at the foot of the Bullhead. As Naruto cleared the doors, her eyes widened slightly as she saw him.

"Mr. Uzumaki, you're back early." she said without preamble, catching him off guard. Despite Ozpin's assurances, he didn't know if Goodwitch knew about his… extra-dimensional origins.

"Yes, well, I took an earlier flight to Vale and then this Bullhead back to Beacon…" he explained cluelessly, confused about why she called him out from the other students, who were all gratefully slipping off into the Academy.

She nodded silently, before beckoning him to follow her as she spun and walked away, her devil-tailed cape moving in the non-existent wind.

"Mr. Uzumaki, are you aware of what passed on this weekend while you were away researching?" she asked him as they walked towards the main tower.

"I'm guessing there was some damage in Vale, right? That's why those students were dirty and tired looking." Naruto answered, still confused.

"Yes and no." Professor Goodwitch suddenly looked tired, as though she was carrying the sky upon her back. "I shall allow the Headmaster to explain the situation to you." she decided, shuffling the decision onto Ozpin's shoulders.

Naruto shrugged. "Whatever. I'm sure it's nothing serious." She frowned at him severely, her tone harsh as she reprimanded him.

"Mr. Uzumaki, I assure you that I would not waste my valuable time walking you to the Headmaster's office unless it were of great importance. It would behoove you to remember that fact." her sternness did not go unnoticed by Naruto, who mentally groaned.

'Great… just what I need… another meeting about slacking off in school. At least I can tell Ozpin about the darkness in Haven that I sensed. He can send a Huntsman there or something to deal with it. Then it's not my problem.'

After mere minutes of walking they reached the elevators, which opened with a nearly silent huff. After another half-minute of waiting in the silent elevator, they finally arrived in Ozpin's office where he sat behind his desk peering out the window, his mug noticeably absent from his hand which was cradling his cane over his lap. After a brief inspection, Naruto saw his mug resting on the edge of his desk, cooled to the point where no steam arose above it's rim. He glanced around the room, not comfortable with the silence. Ozpin remained silent, leaning out of his chair and looking beyond the boundaries of Beacon's grounds.

Finally, he broke the silence. "Glynda, would you care to give us some privacy? I am aware of how conversations such as these are… not your forte."

She rolled her eyes minutely, which Naruto barely caught. "Of course, Headmaster. Once was more than enough." and she backed out of the room, an air of fury still present in her voice.

Naruto turned to Ozpin, curious. "OK, what's going on? Why does Goodwitch look like she wants to kill me, and at the same time seems…" he searched for the word, "seems sympathetic!" he finished, silently proud that he'd remembered the word.

Ozpin turned towards him, his expression grave. "Mr. Uzumaki, how would you describe the relationship you have with your team?" he opened seriously, not in the mood to split hairs.

"Team? Oh, we're fine. No real problems, only Ruby tends to snore a bit." Naruto responded, taken aback. "Other than that, I have no complaints. It's nice that Ren makes breakfast sometimes."

Ozpin nodded. "And what do you know of Ms. Belladonna?" he asked, his voice losing the warm notes that it usually carries.

"Belladonna?" Naruto asked, before remembering. "Oh, you mean Blake. Yeah, she's fine. Quiet, works well with the team. She hasn't caused any problems that I know of."

Ozpin sighed, leaning back into his chair. "Mr. Uzumaki, it appears that you, like the rest of your team, did not know that Ms. Belladonna was a Faunus." he drawled, dragging each word out like nails on a chalkboard, seeking to remind Naruto that he hadn't really tried to familiarise himself with the team.

"Really? Huh. What kind?" Naruto asked, relaxing. He'd thought this was going to be something important. Apparently it was just going to be a question of whether or not he could work with an animal-person.

Ozpin shrugged. "I would presume a cat, from the ears." he said dryly. When Naruto didn't react, Ozpin continued. "This past weekend, various students went out in the city to spend time together, and with their families." Naruto nodded. As he'd expected. "Ms. Xiao Long, Ms. Nikos, Ms. Belladonna and Ms. Schnee all went together to observe the competition coming for the Vytal Festival." he may have been trying to hide it, but Naruto could see Ozpin approved of the preemptive action.

"On their reconnaissance, however, Ms. Belladonna's heritage came to light." Ozpin said smoothly. "I'm afraid that her classmates reacted… poorly."

Naruto groaned. "Have they managed to sort it out, or is that why I'm here?"

Ozpin frowned. "Bluntly, Mr. Uzumaki, as your team, this was a problem you should have dealt with weeks ago. They managed to come to terms with Ms. Belladonna's deception, in fact it was only Ms. Schnee who reacted poorly, but I'm afraid that it took multiple hours for them to meet after Ms. Belladonna fled."

"She ran away? I really don't get why I'm here, Ozzy. If the problem is over, why bother telling me? You know I have better things to do."

Ozpin clenched his cane tightly, anger starting to spill into his eyes. "Mr. Uzumaki! The problem is far from done with, and I would appreciate it if you started paying attention!" he thundered, startling Naruto. It wasn't the power behind his voice that froze Naruto however, it was the authority. The feeling he'd only ever heard from the Third Hokage, and Jiraiya when he wasn't perving.

Ozpin settled down, his eyes softening. "Naruto, this is something that you must approach. I know you're trying to get home, but arriving home at the expense of the members of your team is something I had thought you would be beyond."

Naruto bowed his head in silent apology. "You're right, Ozzy. I'm sorry for ignoring this; could you please tell me what happened?"

"Well, firstly, Ms. Belladonna is not only a faunus," Ozpin continued smoothly, "but a member of the White Fang as well. Or at least, she was." he amended, seeing Naruto's narrowing eyes.

"Ms. Schnee reacted poorly, as you might imagine." Ozpin, seeing Naruto's confusion, sighed. "You don't know about her family, do you?"

Naruto shrugged. "Only that they're the biggest Dust distributors in the world. Other than that, I didn't look into them that much since they can't really help me get home."

Ozpin sighed. "Someday, Mr. Uzumaki, I hope you learn that answers can be found in the most unlikely places. It never pays to ignore knowledge."

Naruto rolled his eyes. 'There's the Kakashi-Sensei…'

Ozpin leaned backed in his seat, getting comfortable for a long story. "And so Ms. Belladonna began arguing with her friends and fellow students about the White Fang…"

_Two Days Ago, Vale:_

"They're simply misguided!" Blake yelled, glaring daggers at Weiss. "They don't realize what they're doing isn't going to work!"

Weiss glared back, her voice seething with anger. "And what, exactly, do they want? Because it's not equality! They want revenge, and to hurt, destroy and obliterate humanity!"

Pyrrha and Yang backed away, not entirely comfortable with the way their day had gone.

'I only agreed to this to go out with friends…' Pyrrha thought sadly, seeing her happy day go poof. Yang was a little more grumpy.

'Greeeeeeeat. Another one from Whiskers' team is being a bitch... honestly surprised that it isn't the Ice Queen being the prick for once though…'

Blake sneered at Weiss. "You have no idea what you're talking about! The White Fang are a united force for the faunus, and we worked tirelessly to protect the faunus from people like YOU!"

Weiss recoiled, shock and disgust morphing into fear as she groped haphazardly for her rapier, which she had left at Beacon. Yang and Pyrrha suddenly leapt into gear, looking at Blake cautiously. Blake glanced between all of them, eyes widened and alert. A brief couple of moments passed, and she dashed down the street.

Yang took a step forward, "Blake, come back! We can talk about this!" she yelled, the hesitation in her voice plain as day. Blake, true to form, ignored her, fading into the distant crowds.

_Present Day, Beacon:_

Naruto sighed, leaning backwards as he looked out the window. "Ozpin, I really would prefer it if you cut to the chase. What happened down in Vale?"

Ozpin frowned, but acquiesced to Naruto's request. "Very well; if brevity is what you want, then I shall tell you the concise version of events." he reached out and took his coffee mug in hand, taking a long drought before settling in down on his desk. "On Saturday morning, as I've said, Ms. Belladonna fled her friends and companions. She thereafter discovered, somehow, that there would be a White Fang rally held in Vale. She decided to infiltrate it without backup or her team, and during that period she was somehow discovered."

"Somehow? Why don't you know?" Naruto interrupted, intrigued. Ozpin frowned at him, his gaze telling Naruto exactly what he thought of the interruption.

"We are unaware, Mr. Uzumaki, because during her 'escape attempt' Ms. Belladonna engaged the Atlesian Paladin, an experimental battlesuit designed for mass warfare. During her engagement she was badly wounded, and only survived due to her Team arriving to save her. She is currently unconscious, and resting in the medical wing."

Naruto stumbled backwards, shock on his face. 'Blake is… in the hospital?' Ozpin continued, his words slamming into Naruto like a freight train.

"Fortunately, she survived, but she will either require extensive, and expensive, cybernetic replacements for her legs, or she will be crippled for the rest of her life." his voice echoed to Naruto as thought from the top of a deep pit, as he sank deeper into a chair he hadn't even noticed himself fall into. "I will be blunt, Mr. Uzumaki, the rest of her Team is withdrawn at best. Ms. Rose blames herself for Ms. Belladonna's injuries, and Lie Ren has sequestered himself in your dorms."

Naruto was silent, looking up at Ozpin with his mouth agape. Ozpin continued, relentless. "This, Mr. Uzumaki, is unacceptable. Either you WILL learn to work with your Team, or you shall be expelled." he finished, sitting back down in his chair.

After many long minutes of silence, Naruto spoke up. "How much would it cost for Blake to get those new legs?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"More than eight hundred thousand lien." Ozpin replied, voice cold. "More than you could ever afford as a student. It would take at least nine years on a Huntsman's Salary to afford that."

Naruto fell further into his seat, morose and shocked. Ozpin continued, his voice gentler. "It's not entirely your fault, Naruto. You couldn't have known this would happen while you… gallivanted on your quest." he ended slowly, leaving Naruto to pick up his sentence.

After moments of silence, Naruto answered him, voice stronger but still naught but a whisper. "But if I'd been there for my Team from the beginning, this might not have happened. Or if it had, I would have been there."

Ozpin nodded. He wouldn't lie. "Yes. You could have stopped this, or been there. The question is, what are you going to do now?"

Naruto looked up at him, tears in his eyes. "I'll never be able to make it up to them…" he said quietly.

Ozpin looked at him silently, waiting for him to continue. "But that doesn't mean I can't try." he said softly, steeling himself.

"You should know then," Ozpin rose to his feet, "that Ms. Belladonna is not stable. She remains in a state of… I suppose you could call it battle. She is not likely to survive this." he said sadly, his voice aching. "You should go be with your Team."

Naruto nodded slowly. "Yeah… I should go make them my Team." he said resolutely, his voice hardening. 'I abandoned them… and someone got hurt. I don't even know them, and that's the worst of all. I can't leave them to do this alone.'

**AN:**

**Well…. Where to begin? Sorry for being gone so long I guess… life's been interesting the past couple months.**

**Really, I don't have much to say for myself. I just kinda fell off the map for a bit, haven't seen anybody for months besides the gf, and my family. Been listening to music, trying to forget all the bad things around the world right now…**

**I guess I'm publishing this because I feel guilty for not making a new chapter for a while… so while I can't say that this is a permanent thing, I can tell y'all that I WILL write more for this. I don't know how many people are gonna be pissed about Blake being injured, but as I've said countless times I don't really know what I'm doing. Just trying to have fun with this.**

**TIme for life advice I guess: "A person who counts each step in their journey never reaches their destination."**

**I know, I know, sappy stuff. "Everything is less than you deserve, and everything is more than I can possibly give."**

**I've written a book recently. Didn't publish it, it's a poetry book. Maybe someday I will. Who knows. I've been reapplying for University (different degree, decided to actually go into English Literature and Composition), so that's been fun.**

**Dungeons and Dragons with the family has really helped me get through pandemic stress… being a DM gives me great ideas for stories.**

**And lastly, my eternal gratitude to the Author of My Namesake. He's been a hero to me through stress and illness, and I'm so glad I can fall into blissful dreams of Osten Ard.**

**I won't ask you to visit my , I don't deserve anything right now. Have fun with life everyone, thanks for reading this far.**

**-Pad**


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